DECATUR COUNTY, GA — Peter J. Bruton Sr., who made history as Decatur County's first Black coroner, has died at 70. Those who knew him say it was the person behind the titles that made him unforgettable.
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Bruton spent 50 years in the funeral industry as a funeral director and mortician, serving families across Georgia and Florida.
His son, Peter Bruton Jr., says his father's bold voice and effortless grace throughout his career stand out the most.
"Once you heard him, you wouldn't forget it. He was definitely a strong man. And, uh, him being in the industry so long, he made it easy, he made it smooth, classy, stylish," Bruton Jr. said.
Bruton Jr. says his father's impact reached far beyond the work he did in the community.
"The community and the love, the undertakers, the funeral homes, people from Australia to Alaska, calling, extending their sympathy, just letting them know, letting us know that we're in their thoughts and prayers. And my dad, he, he got, he paved the way for me," Bruton Jr. said.
Kregg Close of Close Funeral Home was among those who learned from Bruton Sr. firsthand. Close says Bruton's influence went beyond professionalism and inspired him to pursue a career in the funeral business.
"Mr. Bruton always told me, always told me from the old school rule with the Guy Brothers, if you stay true to your foundation, you know, a whole lot of things will open up for you... meaning of funeral business is it's not about the funeral home, it's about the family that we serve," Close said.
Bruton Sr.'s family and those he mentored say his legacy is not only the history he made, but the lives he touched through a lifetime of service.
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