Retired dentist Dr. Rufus Hezekiah Stanton, Jr., 79, transitioned peacefully to the other side on Sunday, September 19, 2004. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Rufus Hezekiah Stanton, Sr. and Mrs. Carrie Whitsitt Stanton; and his brother, Horace Devon Stanton.
Visitation will take place on Friday, September 24, 2004, from 12 noon until 6:30 p.m., followed by the family receiving friends from 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Wynn Funeral Home, 602-32nd Street, Galveston, Texas.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 25, 2004, at 11 a.m., at Reedy Chapel AME Church, 2015 Broadway, Galveston Texas, with the Rev. Brenda Payne, officiating. Interment will take place at Forest Park East Cemetery, Webster, Texas.
Dr. Stanton was born May 27, 1925, in Galveston, Texas, and graduated from Central High School, Wiley College and Meharry Medical College. He was a veteran of World War II, where he served in the U.S. Army as a S/SGT, Administrative Non-commissioned Officer at Headquarters Detachment, Quartermaster Corps.
Dr. Stanton was a faithful member and servant at Reedy Chapel AME Church, where he served as chairman of the Board of Trustees. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and a member of the Board of Directors of United States National Bank, and later Frost Bank, for 25 years.
His professional affiliations include the Gulf State Dental Association, where he served as president, and the Charles A. George Dental Association.
Dr. Stanton served on the Charter Review Committee for the City of Galveston; Galveston Municipal Golf Board; St. Vincent’s House Board of Directors; Mayor’s Advisory Committee for Seniors and Disabled Citizens; and various committees for the Galveston Independent School District.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Janice Splane Stanton and their three children, son, Rufus H. Stanton, III and his wife, Virginia Stanton; daughter, Deborah Stanton Burke and her husband, Dr. William T. Burke, III; and son, Robert T. Stanton, II.
Billy, as he was fondly called, and Janice are blessed with six grandchildren and one great grandchild. They are Jahna Stanton Anyanwu and her husband Dike Anyanwu; Jared Michael Stanton and his fiance’, Tania Sookia; William T. Burke, IV; Rebecca V. Burke; Stanton P. Burke; Matthew I. Burke; Amara Anyanwu; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.