Claudia Holland Burton

April 16, 1927 - January 1, 2021

Claudia Holland Burton died peacefully January 1, 2021. She was born in Tallahassee on April 16, 1927 and spent most of her life in Tallahassee, watching it grow from a small southern town with dirt roads to the city it is today. She graduated from Leon High School in 1945 where her love of singing first developed. Claudia was one of the first women to attend the University of Florida where she studied voice and was in the women’s glee club; her husband at the time, William B. Holland, was in law school. Singing and the arts were Claudia’s lifelong passions, demonstrated by her years of membership in the Trinity United Methodist Church choir and patronage of the arts. Claudia was also passionate about education. She returned to college with three young children and completed a BA in English and MA in English Education at Florida State University. She taught English at her alma mater, Leon HS, and subsequently at Tallahassee Community College for over 20 years. Her desire was to instill a love of curiosity and lifelong learning in her students. We hope she succeeded. Claudia continued giving to her profession after retirement, serving on the Legislative Committee of what was at the time the Florida Association of Community Colleges in support of teacher's retirement initiatives. Claudia was a lifelong Democrat and often involved in the races of Democratic governors and in local and other statewide elections. She was always interested in and respectful of other’s opinions, even when they didn’t align with her own. She cast her last ballot in November from long-term care. Claudia is preceded in death by her son, Spessard L. Holland, III; husband, Dwight L. Burton; parents, George P. Croy, Sr. and Minnie C. Croy; and brothers, George P. Croy, Jr. and Jack C. Croy. She is survived by her son, William B. Holland, Jr.; daughter, Claudia C. Holland; sister, Gail Croy, all of Tallahassee; grandson, Wyatt C. McBride of Denver, Colorado and numerous loving nieces and nephews. The family will hold a memorial service in the spring at Trinity United Methodist Church in Tallahassee. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Dwight L. Burton Scholarship fund at FSU for graduate students in English Education, which Claudia established in her husband’s honor, the Tallahassee Community College Foundation, or the ALS Foundation. Breanna Green of Bevis Funeral Home of Tallahassee is assisting the family with their arrangements. (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com)