Arch Dale Britton, Jr.

Funeral services for Arch Dale Britton age 84, of Gainesville are set for 2:00 p. m. Wednesday December 3, 2008 at the Whaley United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery. Services are under the direction of the Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home. The Rev. Jim Goodwin is officiating. No visitation is planned.



Mr. Britton passed away on November 29, 2008. He was born on June 6, 1924. His parents were Edith Corine Britton and Arch Dale Britton, Sr. After graduating from Olney in 1941, he entered Texas A & M. In March of 1943, he was inducted into the army. After basic training, he transferred to Camp Hale, Colorado to become a member of the 10th Mountain Division Ski Troops. He departed on the USS West Point in route to Naples, Italy. From there he moved north of Florence to fight in the Appenes Mountains taking Mt. Belevedere. The fighting moved to the Po Valley. On V.E. Day he had reached Lake Garda near the Austrian border. He was then shipped back to the U.S. to be redeployed to the Pacific Theatre, but fortunately V. J. Day negated his orders.



In the fall of 1946 he returned to A & M College receiving a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering in June 1949. On November 15, 1950 he married Wanda Darline Elkins. He began his career in Gainesville as a drilling engineer for Britton Drilling Company, and in 1954 became a partner with his father. The also owned Britton Casing Company in Olney. The business reached from Knox City to Kilgore and as far south as Palestine heading north to Tulsa, OK. He discovered the Thackerville, Sadler Penn, and the West Sadler Penn oil fields. He drilled the first deep well called the Baker in the Sherman Field. He ended his drilling career in 1968 and the following year began a new career in ranching with registered cattle. Britton Brangus was sold and shown in numerous states throughout the U.S., South America, and Great Britain.



Community involvement included: Board and building committee member of Whaley United Methodist Church; Optomist Club; Boy Scouts; Demolay Advisor; Chapter Dad receiving the Legend of Honor; Scottish Rite, Knights Templar Mason; President of the Gainesville Shrine Club, Board of Directors of the Pines and Plains Brangus Breeders Association; charter member as well as board member of the Texas Brangus Breeders Association; Inspection Committee of the International Brangus Breeders.



Dale is preceded in death by Edith Britton; Arch Dale Britton, Sr.; his daughter, Paula Britton; his sons Mark Lamar Britton and Arch Dale Britton, III.



His surviving family members are: Wanda Britton; Ann Sorrenson, daughter; Janine Lynn Blakeborough, granddaughter; Daniel Ray Sorrenson, grandson; great grandchildren, Ella Briann and Connor Reed Blakeborough.



Pallbearers are: Tony Plumlee, Nelson Newton, Lee Vogel, Joe Wilson, Jerry Barnes, and Ken Manthei.



Please send memorials to Home Hospice and the Scotish Rite Hospital in Dallas.