Merritt Island, FL - Russ Britton passed away at home Sunday, May 17, 2009,
at the age of 64, after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma. He was born
in St. Petersburg, Florida on April 2, 1945, the son of Russell Harold Britton
and Grace Willette Pope Britton.
Due to his father’s military service, he grew up overseas in Germany, France
and Greece, and in various states including Maine, Illinois, and Virginia, where
he graduated from Colonial Heights High School. He attended the University of
Florida until he enlisted in the US Army in March 1967, where he attained the
rank of Captain after serving stateside, Korea and Vietnam, where he was a MAC-V
military advisor. In November 1970, he returned to the University of Florida
where he met and later married, Donna Long Britton, his wife for almost 36
years. After graduating, he worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency,
subsequently becoming a criminal investigator with the Air Force Office of
Special Investigations, and later a Special Agent with the Department of Defense
Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, from which he retired
in 2000, after a long and distinguished career.
He was predeceased by his mother. He is survived by his wife; daughters, Beverly
Britton and Sharon Britton Sheridan and her husband, Brandon Sheridan; his
father; his brother, Richard Britton; his sister, Barbara Britton; three nieces
and their families. He was looking forward to the birth of his first grandchild,
who will also be named Russell. The family will receive friends on Wednesday,
May 20th, from 4:30 to 5 p.m., followed by funeral services at 5 p.m., at
Wiley-Baxley Funeral Home Chapel, 1360 N. Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island. A
disabled veteran, burial will be Thursday, May 21st, at Florida National
Cemetery in Bushnell, with full military honors.
