M. Sheila Burton


SALISBURY - M. Sheila Burton, 88, formerly of East Main Street, died on Jan. 15, 2008, at the Ashley Grange Nursing Home in Salisbury, England. She was the widow of Rufus T. Burton, who died in 1976.

Mrs. Burton was born Feb. 11, 1919, in Salisbury, England, the daughter of Margaret (Thomson) and J. Hubert Edmunds.

Having met in India, Sheila and Rufus were married Feb. 9, 1942, in New York City. During Mr. Burton’s career with Exxon, the family moved regularly, living in India, Pakistan, the Philippines, England and the United States. Continually on the move, Mrs. Burton took great pride in her homes and enjoyed decorating and collecting artifacts and antiques from all over the world. She was an enthusiastic gardener and oil painter.

The Burtons moved to Salisbury Conn., in 1967, after he retired from Exxon. They became active members of the community. Mrs. Burton volunteered at Sharon Hospital and worked with SCAF and other charitable causes.

A very avid golfer, she was a member of the Sharon Country Club. In the summer, she also enjoyed the music at Tanglewood and in the winter months she could be found skiing at Butternut.

She is survived by Antony Thomas, Karalyn Wilson and son-in-law Hugh Wilson and their two daughters in Britain, and Lin Burton, Rufus Burton and daughter-in-law Mary Burton and their two sons and four grandchildren in the United States.

A small service will be held Jan. 24 at the Griffins Chapel, Salisbury, England. Another memorial service will be conducted later in the year in Rockville, Ind.

Memorial donations may be sent to either the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., New York, NY 10001; or to the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service, PO Box 582, 8 Undermountain Road, Salisbury, CT 06068.

Latest News

A scenic 32-mile loop through Litchfield County

Whenever I need to get a quick but scenic bicycle ride but don’t have time to organize a group ride that involves driving to a meeting point, I just turn right out of my driveway. That begins a 32-mile loop through some of the prettiest scenery in northern Litchfield County.

I ride south on Undermountain Road (Route 41 South) into Salisbury and turn right on Main Street (Route 44 West). If I’m meeting friends, we gather at the parking area on the west side of Salisbury Town Hall where parking is never a problem.

Keep ReadingShow less
Biking Ancramdale to Copake

This is a lovely ride that loops from Ancramdale north to Copake and back. At just over 23 miles and about 1,300 feet of elevation gain, it’s a perfect route for intermediate recreational riders and takes about two hours to complete. It’s entirely on quiet roads with little traffic, winding through rolling hills, open countryside, picturesque farms and several lakes.

Along the way, you’ll pass a couple of farmstands that are worth a quick visit. There is only one hill that might be described as steep, but it is quite short — probably less than a quarter-mile.

Keep ReadingShow less
Taking on Tanglewood

Aerial view of The Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass.

Provided

Now is the perfect time to plan ahead for symphonic music this summer at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts. Here are a few highlights from the classical programming.

Saturday, July 5: Shed Opening Night at 8 p.m. Andris Nelsons conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Daniil Trifonov plays piano in an All-Rachmaninoff program. The Piano Concerto No. 3 was completed in 1909 and was written specifically to be debuted in the composer’s American tour, at another time of unrest and upheaval in Russia. Trifonev is well-equipped to take on what is considered among the most technically difficult piano pieces. This program also includes Symphonic Dances, a work encapsulating many ideas and much nostalgia.

Keep ReadingShow less
James H. Fox

SHARON — James H. Fox, resident of Sharon, passed away on May 30, 2025, at Vassar Brothers Hospital.

Born in New York, New York, to Herbert Fox and Margaret Moser, James grew up in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. He spent his summers in Gaylordsville, Connecticut, where he developed a deep connection to the community.

Keep ReadingShow less