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Obituaries
Elton Cornelius Stratton

Elton Cornelius Stratton passed away quietly at home, surrounded by his loving family on June 30, 2007. He would have reached the grand old age of 91 on his birthday. He was blessed with three years of remission from cancer.
Elton was born on Aug. 26, 1916 in Hurricane, Utah, to goodly parents Robert Bird Stratton and Rosalie Cornelius Stratton. He was the sixth of eight children.
Elton grew up in Hurricane, Utah. He attended Branch Agricultural College in Cedar City, Utah where he graduated with an associate degree in Entomology. He was inducted into the military as part of the Army Air Corp at the beginning of World War II. He was involved in the European theater for over four years, and rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant.
He served faithfully and well. He was involved in nine major campaigns, among them: Battle of the Bulge, Battle of Rhineland, Battle of Northern France (the battle that freed Paris) and was among the soldiers who invaded Normandy on                D-Day + 1.
Upon being discharged from the service in 1945, he returned to Southern Utah where he met and married his sweetheart, Shirley Reber of Ivins, Utah. They were married on Feb. 2, 1946 and made their home in Cedar City, where he worked for the Utah Office of Employment Security. In addition, he owned a farm in the Cedar Valley, where he enjoyed working the fields and caring for his animals.
He and Shirley enjoyed working in the temple in recent years until his health began to fail. He was a good friend and caring neighbor. To know him, was to love him. Elton enjoyed the goodness of a simple life and the most important thing in the world to him was his family. He was a dear husband and a loving father.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley, and eight children: Van Blaine Cutler (Judy), Draper, Utah; Bonnie Lee Cutler Webster (Deward), Roy, Utah; Susan Roubo (Alex), Redding, England; Shirley Dianne Gubler (Joe), Cedar City, Utah; Elton Roger Stratton (Penny), Orem, Utah; Monty Cornelius Stratton (Carla), Cedar City, Utah; JoLynn Holt (Kent), O'Fallon, Illinois; Michael Lane Stratton (Sheryl), Hesperia, Calif. and a wonderful posterity of 27 grandchildren and 50 plus great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two siblings, Noreen Payne (Arnold), Provo, Utah and Orwin Stratton (Jeniel), Hurricane, Utah.
Services were Monday, July 9, 2007 in the 4th and 14th Ward LDS Chapel at 500 West and 400 North in Cedar City. There were viewings Sunday, July 8 and Monday, July 9.
The family would like to thank all of those who have helped care for our husband and father. Special thanks to the dear people of Hospice who made Dad comfortable and made our life much easier: Ethan, Mike, Laurie, Timian, and Gary. We love you. The Stratton Family. On-line condolences can be sent at www.southernutahmortuary.com.

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