Baltimore Sun outdoors writer Candus Thomson reports today on the death of Bill Burton, long-time outdoors writer, advocate for natural resources and former Evening Sun reporter. The Pasadena residents was 82 and died Monday after a battle with cancer and diabetes.

Burton retired from the Sun in 1992 but then wrote for the Bay Weekly and The Capital in Annapolis until his second retirement in June.  During his half century on the job, he wrote newspaper columns and did a fishing report on WMAR-TV, Thomson reports. he edited numerous regional hunting and fishing magazine and was a founding member of the Mason-Dixon Outdoors' Writers Association. He was inducted inthe Maryland-Dealware-DC Press Association Hall of Fame in April.

Last month, the Board of Public Works approved a proposal from Gov. Martin O'Malley and the Department of Natural Resources to rename the Choptank River Fishing Pier for Burton.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Aug. 22 at Jenkins Memorial Church, 133 Riviera Dr. in Pasadena. Burton is survived by his wife of 42 years, Lois, five daughters and one son, and 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

RIP Bill.

Baltimore Sun photo of Bill Burton in July admiring Serena O'Connell's catch from the fishing pier that is now named for him on the Choptank River/Candus Thomson