Promoting patriotism for the past 30 years
LAWTON - From thrift stores and waterbeds to outdoor furniture and flagpoles, 86-year-old retired Chief Warrant Officer Don Burton and his family have seen and done it all.
“All my life, I wanted to be in business,” said Don. “A year before I retired from the Army, I started a consignment shop called Thrift Mart. It was up and running until I was called to return to Vietnam.”
Don ‘Flagpole Man’ Burton was born in Grand Island, Neb., in 1933. After his father passed away when Don was a toddler, he was raised by his mother and aunt in Fairbury, Neb. His mother later married a construction worker from Lincoln, Neb., during WWII.
Drafted into the U.S. Army in January 1954, Don proudly devoted more than 20 years of service to his country before retiring. For 16 ½ of those years, he served as chief warrant officer.
“For at least one day, I was the youngest chief warrant officer,” he boasts.
Don has called Lawton his home since he was transferred to Fort Sill in 1962. Since retiring from the Army in 1974, Don has opened five other businesses in the community. Thrifty House, Burton’s Thrifty Furniture, three Waterbed Heaven stores, Leisure Living outdoor furniture, and his newest endeavor, Leisure Living Flagpoles and Flags have all been headquartered in Lawton.
“When the waterbed industry scaled down, I got into the outdoor furniture business,” said Don. “I traveled all over the country doing 42 shows a year, but I was only home about three weekends a year during that time.”
At a 1988 tradeshow in Houston, Texas, Don became fascinated with the invention a 64-year-old farmer from South Dakota had created. The next year, he added the telescoping flagpoles to his business ventures.
He and his family have traveled from North Dakota to Texas, Nevada to Missouri hitting state fairs, home shows, and rodeos with demonstrations, pamphlets, and fliers of flagpoles, U.S., world, military, historical, college and team flags, decals, stickers and accessories.
Don estimates that he’s sold between 20 and 25,000 American-made aircraft aluminum telescoping flagpoles over the past 30 years. He said unfortunately Leisure Living Flagpoles and Flags saw its largest increase in business shortly after the World Trade Center and Pentagon were attacked. Don remembers taking checks and orders and then call his customers when the flags and accessories came in.
“After 9/11, everything was sold out,” said Don. “Everything. In three days. I couldn’t get supplies in because the suppliers were sold out.”
His years in business have made Don quite knowledgeable. He demonstrates how easily one can install and use the flagpoles and he is eager to answer questions about the products he sells.
He can give customers a history of flags and their meanings, why certain materials are used, and teaches proper flag etiquette.
His children, Julie Brox, John Burton and Jim Burton all grew up in Lawton and graduated from Lawton MacArthur. While many know him as ‘Flagpole Man’, his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren all call him ‘Papa Don.’
As a veteran and long-time member of the community, Don is a member of the Korean War Veterans Association, Vietnam Veterans of America, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and was part of Lawton Kiwanis for more than 45 years.
He and his wife of 43 years, Carolyn have been members of First Baptist West of Lawton for close to 20 years.
Don and Carolyn aren’t traveling as much as they used to. He says he’s down to just five shows a year. “I’m just not as young as I used to be,” Don chuckles.
‘Flagpole Man’ and his family invite you to visit the Leisure Living Flags and Flagpoles showroom, located at 824 SE 3rd Street in Lawton, call
(580) 357-7458, or visit www.flagpolemanok.com.
“After 9/11, everything was sold out,” said Don. “Everything. In three days. I couldn’t get supplies in because the suppliers were sold out.”