Clarence “Clancy” Dale Burton

Our dear old dad slipped away peacefully in the early morning hours of March 25, 2026. He was surrounded by seen and unseen family and friends who love him dearly.

Clarence was born November 20, 1944 in Ogden, Utah. From birth to age 8, he learned to be the fierce protector of his little brother Larry, and that identity is something we all know him by. They were both adopted by loving parents, James Lloyd & Ida Natalia Burton in 1952. In this loving home, they joined another brother, Steve, and welcomed a baby sister, Jerolyn. He spent his days working on the farm - a work ethic that he carried throughout his life and that we are proud to say he instilled in each of us kids.

He was a natural with animals and took to farmlife like a champ. He was easy to like and quick to laugh which made his school days full and happy. He loved track, was Grace High School’s best rope climber, but his real love was wrestling. He served a church mission to Texas, and also enlisted in the Army National Guard during his senior year and served for 13 years. He loved his country and was a patriot. He shocked his superiors at boot camp when he won the mile race and was a perfect marksman. When they found out he was a farm boy from Idaho, they said “makes sense.”

On May 16, 1969, he married our mom and his best friend’s little sister, Sheila Rae Rowsell. We are so glad he found her, and we’re lucky she was our mom. They started their family in Grace, Idaho with 4 kids, and in July of 1981, they took a leap of faith and moved to the heat of Southern Utah leaving half their hearts in Idaho. Through grit, faith, and joy, they made a beautiful life in LaVerkin, Utah where they added a 5th child to the family. They enjoyed many family camping trips, serving others, raising and supporting their kids (spending most anniversaries at the state track meet), and dreaming about the future. After nearly 40 years of true love and devotion, he lost his wife and our mom in February, 2009. He always loved and missed her and made sure to keep her memory alive.

He married Janis Crookston on November, 14 2009, and they enjoyed 16 years together. They adventured, became snowbirds, gardened, sat on the porch swing, and grew old together. They were lucky to find each other, and he is devastated to leave her behind as he wanted to be the one to take care of her.

Our dad touched many lives through what he taught and who he was. If you were one of his scouts, he probably taught you the right way to set up a tent or he shared a few of his 100% true campfire stories. Hopefully you got to laugh and learn and hike and swim with him in the mountains.

Maybe you were part of the Grace High Red Devils class of ‘63 or won the state wrestling championship under Coach Lou Lamb. Our dad felt like a champion his whole life because of that team. He was so proud of the 60-year class reunion he helped plan and desperately wanted to be part of the next one.

Clancy was a builder. He might have been your boss, your mentor, or your buddy in the garage helping with a project. If so, he taught you to take pride in a well-laid slab of concrete, a plumb, square and level wall, or the satisfaction of a job well done. And whether you like it or not, he probably taught you the “right” way to cuss because that’s as important as a good hammer or a sharp saw. Above all, he knew that the joy was in the building.

Our dad loved a road trip, and if you were lucky enough to have been on one with him, then you’ve seen him at his happiest. He would hit the open road, that perfect smile would come out, and he would radiate joy and fun (and a little mischief). He could stop at every fish hatchery, take an accidental detour, learn about a new place, or just drive back to Idaho again. It didn’t matter as long as he could pop in a Willie Nelson cassette tape and drive on.

Family and good friends were everything to our dad. He had a habit of adopting new friends and pulling in old ones just when they needed it. There were many deep discussions and wisdom gained from time spent with him. He loved a good joke or card game around the table, but he also knew when to skip the small talk and really get into what matters most. Maybe you’ve had a good chat in the driveway or in his shop or taken a long drive together or stayed up way past bedtime. He hesitated to dwell on the past but always had advice to offer or to gain. He was a humble expert on some hard and unfair life lessons and knew the value of forgiving quickly and moving forward with love.

If you were around our dad for very long, then you’ve had the “I Can” talk. This is a big one, and his legacy. Whether you were part of the Hurricane High Track Team or you needed a pick-me-up, you got the pep talk and the “I Can” card as a physical reminder that you had more to give. He lived out his own “I Can” story in the summer of 2024. It was a dream that started in 1987 and was born from two canoes and a trip to Yellowstone. It turned into his own hand-crafted kayak named Three Feathers and a plan to float Flathead Lake in Montana. He accomplished that dream - “I Can” card in hand - and made the trip in his 80th year. It was the trip of a lifetime and taught us all to never give up on a dream worth having.

We will miss the man who taught us to laugh and forgive, and his blue eyes and quick smile.

Clarence is preceded in death by his late wife, Sheila Rowsell, Steve and Larry Burton (Brothers), and survived by his wife, Janis Crookston-Burton and her family (2 daughters and their husbands, 7 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren); his 5 children: Aaron Burton (Lena), Carson Burton (Sarah), Keturah Rowland (Derrick), Stannah Wood (Dayne), and Tasha Rich (Jordan); 16 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren; and his sisters Jerolyn Smith (Don) and Conda Tiller.