Obituary
Jack Foye Burton passed away on October 22, 2021. He was born on November 12, 1936 in Lake City
Tennessee to Mabel Estelle Gaylor and William Charles Burton.
Jack followed his father to Alaska, where he worked as a point man on the gold dredges at Ester and Fairbanks Creek. In 1958 he joined the Army, where he served in active duty and later the Guards and Reserves until his honorable discharge in
January 1965. Jack joined the railroad as a track worker in April 1964. Jack was elected president of the
Alaska Railroad Workers/American Federation of Government Employees Local 183 in 1980 where he
faithfully represented his fellow workers until 1994. During his time as president, he worked tirelessly on
the Alaska Railroad Transfer legislations in Washington D.C. and in Juneau. On July 6, 1994 he was
appointed as labor's representative on the Alaska Railroad Board of Directors by Governor Walter
Hickel, at which time he resigned as president of Local 183. Jack served as the Alaska Railroad's
representative on the Bird-to-Girdwood road and track realignment project from 1994 to 1998. And he
served as the Railroad's representative on the Whittier Tunnel project from 1998 to 2000. He again
represented the Railroad as a representative on the Bird Flats Project in the early 2000s. On November
18, 2014, Jack celebrated 50 years of service with the Alaska Railroad and was honored with a siding
being named for him in his home town of Moose Pass. Jack retired from the Alaska Railroad on April 12,
2021 bringing to an end his 57 year career and 26 years as a Director on the Alaska Railroad Board.
His battle with Parkinson's had taken a toll and his health quickly declined in the months following.
Services will be held for Jack at Kehl's Legacy Funeral Home, 11621 Old Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99515 on
Monday, November 1, 2021 from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm.
Grave side service will be held at Angelus Memorial Park, 440 E Klatt Rd Suite A, Anchorage, AK 99515 at 2:00 pm the same day. Jack is survived by his son Gordon and Gordon's wife Svetlana; his son Keith and Keith's wife Nancy; his daughter Kelly
Strass; his five grandsons, Daniel, Scott, Christopher, Aleksei and Vasily; and his brothers Joe and Larry
also retired railroaders.
Jack loved his family, he loved the railroad and devoted his life to both.
Jack Foye Burton passed away on October 22, 2021. He was born on November 12, 1936 in Lake City
Tennessee to Mabel Estelle Gaylor and William Charles Burton.
Jack followed his father to Alaska, where he worked as a point man on the gold dredges at Ester and Fairbanks Creek. In 1958 he joined the Army, where he served in active duty and later the Guards and Reserves until his honorable discharge in
January 1965. Jack joined the railroad as a track worker in April 1964. Jack was elected president of the
Alaska Railroad Workers/American Federation of Government Employees Local 183 in 1980 where he
faithfully represented his fellow workers until 1994. During his time as president, he worked tirelessly on
the Alaska Railroad Transfer legislations in Washington D.C. and in Juneau. On July 6, 1994 he was
appointed as labor's representative on the Alaska Railroad Board of Directors by Governor Walter
Hickel, at which time he resigned as president of Local 183. Jack served as the Alaska Railroad's
representative on the Bird-to-Girdwood road and track realignment project from 1994 to 1998. And he
served as the Railroad's representative on the Whittier Tunnel project from 1998 to 2000. He again
represented the Railroad as a representative on the Bird Flats Project in the early 2000s. On November
18, 2014, Jack celebrated 50 years of service with the Alaska Railroad and was honored with a siding
being named for him in his home town of Moose Pass. Jack retired from the Alaska Railroad on April 12,
2021 bringing to an end his 57 year career and 26 years as a Director on the Alaska Railroad Board.
His battle with Parkinson's had taken a toll and his health quickly declined in the months following.
Services will be held for Jack at Kehl's Legacy Funeral Home, 11621 Old Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99515 on
Monday, November 1, 2021 from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm.
Grave side service will be held at Angelus Memorial Park, 440 E Klatt Rd Suite A, Anchorage, AK 99515 at 2:00 pm the same day. Jack is survived by his son Gordon and Gordon's wife Svetlana; his son Keith and Keith's wife Nancy; his daughter Kelly
Strass; his five grandsons, Daniel, Scott, Christopher, Aleksei and Vasily; and his brothers Joe and Larry
also retired railroaders.
Jack loved his family, he loved the railroad and devoted his life to both.
Obituary
Jack Foye Burton passed away on October 22, 2021. He was born on November 12, 1936 in Lake City
Tennessee to Mabel Estelle Gaylor and William Charles Burton.
Jack followed his father to Alaska, where he worked as a point man on the gold dredges at Ester and Fairbanks Creek. In 1958 he joined the Army, where he served in active duty and later the Guards and Reserves until his honorable discharge in
January 1965. Jack joined the railroad as a track worker in April 1964. Jack was elected president of the
Alaska Railroad Workers/American Federation of Government Employees Local 183 in 1980 where he
faithfully represented his fellow workers until 1994. During his time as president, he worked tirelessly on
the Alaska Railroad Transfer legislations in Washington D.C. and in Juneau. On July 6, 1994 he was
appointed as labor's representative on the Alaska Railroad Board of Directors by Governor Walter
Hickel, at which time he resigned as president of Local 183. Jack served as the Alaska Railroad's
representative on the Bird-to-Girdwood road and track realignment project from 1994 to 1998. And he
served as the Railroad's representative on the Whittier Tunnel project from 1998 to 2000. He again
represented the Railroad as a representative on the Bird Flats Project in the early 2000s. On November
18, 2014, Jack celebrated 50 years of service with the Alaska Railroad and was honored with a siding
being named for him in his home town of Moose Pass. Jack retired from the Alaska Railroad on April 12,
2021 bringing to an end his 57 year career and 26 years as a Director on the Alaska Railroad Board.
His battle with Parkinson's had taken a toll and his health quickly declined in the months following.
Services will be held for Jack at Kehl's Legacy Funeral Home, 11621 Old Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99515 on
Monday, November 1, 2021 from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm.
Grave side service will be held at Angelus Memorial Park, 440 E Klatt Rd Suite A, Anchorage, AK 99515 at 2:00 pm the same day. Jack is survived by his son Gordon and Gordon's wife Svetlana; his son Keith and Keith's wife Nancy; his daughter Kelly
Strass; his five grandsons, Daniel, Scott, Christopher, Aleksei and Vasily; and his brothers Joe and Larry
also retired railroaders.
Jack loved his family, he loved the railroad and devoted his life to both.
Jack Foye Burton passed away on October 22, 2021. He was born on November 12, 1936 in Lake City
Tennessee to Mabel Estelle Gaylor and William Charles Burton.
Jack followed his father to Alaska, where he worked as a point man on the gold dredges at Ester and Fairbanks Creek. In 1958 he joined the Army, where he served in active duty and later the Guards and Reserves until his honorable discharge in
January 1965. Jack joined the railroad as a track worker in April 1964. Jack was elected president of the
Alaska Railroad Workers/American Federation of Government Employees Local 183 in 1980 where he
faithfully represented his fellow workers until 1994. During his time as president, he worked tirelessly on
the Alaska Railroad Transfer legislations in Washington D.C. and in Juneau. On July 6, 1994 he was
appointed as labor's representative on the Alaska Railroad Board of Directors by Governor Walter
Hickel, at which time he resigned as president of Local 183. Jack served as the Alaska Railroad's
representative on the Bird-to-Girdwood road and track realignment project from 1994 to 1998. And he
served as the Railroad's representative on the Whittier Tunnel project from 1998 to 2000. He again
represented the Railroad as a representative on the Bird Flats Project in the early 2000s. On November
18, 2014, Jack celebrated 50 years of service with the Alaska Railroad and was honored with a siding
being named for him in his home town of Moose Pass. Jack retired from the Alaska Railroad on April 12,
2021 bringing to an end his 57 year career and 26 years as a Director on the Alaska Railroad Board.
His battle with Parkinson's had taken a toll and his health quickly declined in the months following.
Services will be held for Jack at Kehl's Legacy Funeral Home, 11621 Old Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99515 on
Monday, November 1, 2021 from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm.
Grave side service will be held at Angelus Memorial Park, 440 E Klatt Rd Suite A, Anchorage, AK 99515 at 2:00 pm the same day. Jack is survived by his son Gordon and Gordon's wife Svetlana; his son Keith and Keith's wife Nancy; his daughter Kelly
Strass; his five grandsons, Daniel, Scott, Christopher, Aleksei and Vasily; and his brothers Joe and Larry
also retired railroaders.
Jack loved his family, he loved the railroad and devoted his life to both.
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