About Burton Excavating, Inc.

    With a legacy dating back to 1971, it was Joe O. Burton Excavating, started by Joe and Marilyn Burton.

Joe Burton was originally from Atwood/Holdenville, Oklahoma. He joined the United States Army and was transferred and  stationed at Camp Lucas in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, where Joe was tasked as a guard on the Soo Locks. He met Marilyn, a local young woman from the Soo. They married and started a family, raising five boys.

    After the service Joe traveled to the western Upper Peninsula to work in the mines, operating heavy equipment as a union member. One weekend, while driving home to see his family, a drunk driver crossed the centerline of the two-lane highway. Joe’s pickup truck, loaded with his tools, was forced into the ditch and rolled over. After that incident, he decided he would no longer work away from home.

    Determined to provide for his family, Joe started painting cars in his garage between jobs. He took on various jobs in the local area, although the exact timeline may not be in order, he worked at the Soo Creamery, for Paul Hoholik Construction, George Kaysner Construction, and Mellette Construction Equipment. Worked for a few days on the Mackinac Bridge on the tower working with the wire cable , he said he was relieved when they moved him to the Soo warehouse for the cable. He also operated heavy machinery during the construction of the I-75 Highway, worked on the Soo Locks, and worked for Van Ness Construction in installing natural gas lines throughout the Soo Area. Joe has fond memories and great stories about everyone he worked for and with.

    With his strong work ethic—and with the support and help of Marilyn—Joe saw an opportunity to continue working closer to home. They purchased his first used backhoe—a Ford factory-produced model that resembled a Ford tractor with a front loader and backhoe attachment. This marked the beginning of Joe O. Burton Excavating,  which Marilyn  ran the office from their home. In 1990 it became Burton Excavating Inc.

    Joe retired from the company in 1995. At 93 years old Joe  is still actively working on his own projects. He may use a walker to get around, but his determination keeps him going.

    Marilyn is a little younger than Joe, she is still behind the scenes at home, taking care of things and preparing their meals. Her biggest job is making sure Joe doesn’t overdo it. She often needs to remind him that certain tasks—like climbing ladders and other risky activities—just aren’t worth the risk.