Tallahassee Democrat (FL)
Sunday, August 11, 2002

Ret. Col. Earl L. Bufton Jr., USMC, 60, a deputy comptroller for the Office of Banking and Finance, died Thursday, Aug. 8, 2002.  He is survived by his wife, Barbara.  The service will be at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday at Fellowship Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee, with burial at Quantico National Cemetery in Triangle, Va.  Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. EDT Monday at Culley's Meadow Wood Funeral Home, Riggins Road Chapel (877-8191).  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Big Bend Hospice, 723 Mahan Center Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32308, or Fellowship Presbyterian Church, 3158 Shamrock South, Tallahassee, FL 32309.

Col. Bufton retired from active service with the U.S. Marines in 1992 after completing 29 years of active duty.  Among his many tours of duty include two combat tours in Vietnam, service as a pilot with the Presidential Helicopter Squadron and service as commanding officer of HMH-361, a CH-53 helicopter squadron.

Col. Bufton earned the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with numeral 33, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with a combat "V", the Presidential Service Badge and the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry.  Born in Webster City, Iowa, he earned a bachelor of science in business administration and a master of science in business.

Upon completion of 29 years of active duty, he worked in the private sector before moving to Tallahassee where he began work for the state as the Inspector General for the Office of Banking and Finance for the state of Florida.

Subsequently, Col. Bufton was appointed deputy comptroller for the Office of Banking and Finance.  He was a member of Fellowship Presbyterian Church and the USMC/Vietnam Helicopter Association, and served as president of the Killearn Kiwanis.  Other survivors include a daughter, Sara Dowse (and husband Dan); two sons, Brian (and wife Jeanie) and John; his mother, Velna, of Dubuque, Iowa; a sister, Beverly Haberman (and husband Earl) of Dubuque, Iowa; five grandchildren; and four nieces and a nephew.