Marlene Marie Burton, 77, of Springfield, went to be with the Lord, Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 6:30 a.m. in her residence. She was born October 19, 1931 in Springfield, the daughter of Marcellus and Edna Mae (Davis) Cooper.

She attended Springfield High School. She was a devoted wife and mother of fifteen children. As a young woman, Marlene sang with her sisters in a group called the Cooper Sisters. They sang on WIZE Radio for the Negro Business Hour in Springfield. In 1980, Marlene and her husband formed the Burton Family Singers. Marlene taught all of her children to sing. The Burton Family Singers sang locally to teenage inmates at the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center. The family also sang in churches throughout the United States.

She leaves to cherish her memory her loving husband Harlen Edward and their children: Melanie (Charles) Clark, Harlen Eric (Carrie) Burton, Pamela (Bobbie) Jones, Paula (Michael) Duncan, Jonathan (Sylvia) Burton, Celeste (Kelvin) Gaskins, Thomas Burton, Rhoda (Gregory "Sarg") Linton, David (Debbie) Burton, Joel Burton, Angela (Zac) Coaston, Charles Burton, and Peter (Della) Burton. She also leaves four sisters: Una (Paul) Peterson, Shirley Robinson, Pat (Gene) Mitchell, Donna Beverly and one brother Jerry (Patti) Cooper; forty-six grandchildren; ten great grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Marion "Bud" Cooper, and two daughters, Jill Forbes and Bethany Burton.

Visitation will be Tuesday, January 6, 2009 from 5-7:30 pm with a memorial service immediately following at Possum Road Church of God, 1601 West Possum Road in Springfield. The funeral service will be held at the church on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 11 am. Burial will be at Ferncliff Cemetery. The LITTLETON & RUE FUNERAL HOME is serving the family.