MIDDLEBURY — Kenneth W. Burton, 79, of Middlebury, Vt., passed away peacefully at his home on Oct. 5, 2021, in Middlebury. He was born on Oct. 24, 1941, in Portchester, N.Y., to  parents Alice and Donald Burton. He is survived by his daughter, Katherine Brande of Middlebury, Vt.; his son, Kenneth S. Burton of Weybridge, Vt.; his granddaughter, Allison Long of Deland, Fla.; grandsons Kenneth and Luke Brande of Bristol, Vt.; his brothers Bruce Burton of Castleton  Vt., and Donald Burton of Churchville, N.Y.; his sisters Marcia Jones of Richmond, Vt., and Helene Balkin of Kittery Point, Maine; and their spouses and children.

Ken was a UVM Hall Of Fame athlete who had an illustrious career as a running back on the football team, holding several records in his day. He had a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics. More importantly, he was a humanitarian who cared much about the world and was particularly interested in Latin America and its economy.

Ken worked for the city of New York for almost 30 years helping bring people out of poverty. He had a great sense of humor, loved to try new things, loved sharing his ideas with others and had a deep interest in others’ lives and the world in general. He loved nature — particularly waterways, writing, water color painting, playing the guitar and having meaningful discussions. He loved speaking Spanish and made many friends in the hispanic communities. The Bronx Botanical Gardens was also a special place to him, just a walk away from where he lived for many years. His legacy leaves much to be remembered and he will be missed. Contributions can be made to the United Way of Addison County.◊