Guynice Lou Burton

Guynice Lou Burton, my beautiful, strong mother won her final battle on Earth and joined God and her loved ones in the kingdom of Heaven on June 9, 2019 at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, NC. Born January 29, 1958 in West Hamlin, WV to the late Burchell R. Burton Goldia Faye Miller-Burton, she was one of 7 children.

Guynice was raised in a town she loved called Hamlin, WV. She was a 1975 graduate of Hamlin High School; at which she loved cheerleading, softball and gymnastics. My mother dedicated her entire life to not only being a strong, single mother but to the residents and employees at Lincoln Nursing and Rehabilitation Center where she served as a Dietary Aid/Assistant Dietary Manager-CDM for nearly 30 years before leaving only due to her illness.

Her residents and colleagues were not only friends, but became family that she loved and missed dearly. She was the type of employee her past boss, Michael Gore stated he “wished he had 10 more of.”

Guynice’s favorite place she had ever visited was Myrtle Beach, SC; a place we vacationed every summer until her illness. In the last 6 months of her life, she finally realized her dream to live near the ocean when she relocated to coastal NC with her daughter and her partner, Justin. She planned to retire in the Carolina’s someday.

Guynice was preceded in death by her mother and father; oldest brother, Archie Lee Burton of PA; brother, Larry Lynn Burton of Hamlin, WV; and two infant siblings: Carl Leon Burton and Linda Lavonne Burton.

Guynice leaves behind so many special friends and family that will cherish her memories for the rest of their lives: one daughter, Jamie Michelle Lovejoy (and partner Justin Hazzard) of Atkinson, NC; one brother, James Burton (and very dear sister-in-law, Sue Burton) of Branchland, WV; one sister, Karen Burton of St. Albans, WV; dear sister-in-law, Iris Burton (Archie) of PA; nephews, Daniel Burton and Andrew Richmond; niece Rachel Pullen-Boster (Brannon Boster) of Hurricane, WV; great-nephews, Josh Burton, Ryan Burton, Ashton Burton, and Christian Burton; great-niece, Delaney Buerck; and future great-niece, (Rachel) named Dawson. My mother and I wish to give special thanks to 3 special friends the journey of cancer brought us to bless us: Amanda Pierce, Darah Maynard and Dr. Heather Katz. We love you so much.

Guynice also shared six special “Babies” with Jamie and Justin that will forever miss her: Pawsome, Cleopatra and Sylvia (Grandkitties) and Buddy, Coco and Skylar (Granddogs). They made all the bad days a little better with their unconditional love.

My mother’s life was cut short, yes; but her 61 years on this Earth were filled with love, a little trouble, and A LOT of laughter. She was the epitome of strength and beauty and left this world knowing the purest of love from God and her daughter and future son-in-law. My mother is and always will be my biggest cheerleader and HERO. “You are the wind beneath my wings.”

Thank you to the staff of ECCC in Huntington, WV and the WV Cancer Institute in Morgantown for loving us and never letting us lose hope.

I ask instead of flowers, you make a donation in memory of my beautiful mother to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000 Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142.