Joseph Joe Britton

Joseph 'Joe' Britton September 17, 1921 - July 19, 2013

Joseph W. Britton, age 91, of Northfield, and a former farmer and banker in Janesville, died on Friday, July 19, 2013, at Northfield Retirement Community, Northfield.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, July 28, at 2:00 pm at St. John''s Episcopal Church in Mankato with Rev. Gayle Marsh officiating. Inurnment will be privately performed at a later date.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 27, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Arnoldt-McRaith Funeral Home & Crematory in Janesville, and will continue on Sunday afternoon for one hour prior to services at the church.

Joseph Wright was born on September 17, 1921, to Lister Harold and Margaret Leila (Root) Britton in Alton Township, Waseca County, Minnesota. He was a lifetime member of St. John''s Episcopal Church, Janesville, and then St. John''s Episcopal Church in Mankato. Joe attended country school at the Britton Schoolhouse in Alton Township, and graduated from Janesville High School in 1939. He was a member of the Merchant Marines during World War II and was united in marriage to Marjorie Schue on August 4, 1948, at the United Church of Christ in New Richland. Joe and Marjorie owned and operated their farm in Alton Township until his retirement. They continued to live on their farm until their move to the Northfield Retirement Community in 2011. Joe was employed at the Janesville State Bank for 19 years until his retirement in 1984, following which he worked at Walmart in Mankato as an assembly person and jack-of-all trades for about ten years before his final retirement.

Joe was an active member of the Janesville community and served on many boards and committees, among them the Odd Fellows Lodge, Janesville Rotary Club, of which he was a charter member and a Paul Harris Fellow; Janesville Nursing Home, Janesville Cemetery Association, Waseca County Historical Society, Waseca County ASC, Janesville American Legion Post 281, Alton Township Board, Disabled American Veterans Post 10 in Mankato and VFW Post 9713. He was also active in building and designing the

Veteran''s Memorial in Janesville''s Memorial Park.

Joe loved to dance. He and Marjorie were active square dancers with the Janesville J Squares for many years. Joe and Marje traveled the world together and he enjoyed many woodworking projects during his retirement years. He was proud of his Scottish heritage and it was apparent in his financial interactions and in his sly sense of humor.

He is survived by his wife of almost 65 years, Marjorie, three daughters, Valerie Britton (Greg Gudbjartsson) of Lakeville, Leann Britton of Minneapolis and Belva Britton-Williams (Kim Williams) of Ramsey, by four grandchildren, Blaine and Daniel Gudbjartsson of Lakeville, and Ben and Diana Williams of Ramsey; by his sister Jeanette (Britton) Hegseth of Pine Island, by his brother John (Rosemary) Britton of Waseca, brothers-in-law Bill Haag and Lowell Denn, sister-in-law Donna Rausch, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Blaine, and one brother, Robert Orson Britton, and six sisters, Katherine Barthelmehs, Helen Denn, Reeve Cumming, Beulah Johnson, Agnes Haag, and Nancy Auspos.