John E Britton was born in Erie, Pennsylvania on June 4, 1921. He was the husband of the late Suzanne Eckerd Britton for 55 years.  Mr. Britton died on November 24, 2004. He was the proud father of Judith Bonanno (Robert), John W Britton (Meg) and the late Kathleen Britton; and he was also the very joyful grandfather of Catherine, Sarah, Jeffrey and Andrew.

John, who got his start as a caddie at Lake Shore County Club, graduated from Strong Vincent high school in 1938 and Bucknell University in 1942. He was captain of the Bison’s golf team. Moving on to higher heights, First lieutenant Britton served as a pilot in World War II before earning his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1948.

Atty Britton returned to Erie in 1949, but he did not restrict his talents to law. Although he was a very distinguished partner and trial attorney at MacDonald, Illig, Jones and Britton LLP for decades; and while he was elected President of the Erie County Bar Association and later Chancellor of The Bar; incredibly, Mr. Britton also served as President of Urick Foundry Company; and Chairman of the Boards for Erie Bottling Corporation and Tannetics, Inc.  Additionally, John sat on the corporate boards of numerous other for-profit and non-profit entities.

Even though John’s accomplishments off the course are second to none, his achievements in golf, as witnessed by thousands of jealous spectators “back in the day”, also place him on top of champion’s podium. He won the EDGA Amateur championship (when format was match play) in 1956 and 1958. John was the first golfer to win the Amateur title when it became a stroke play tournament in 1961.

Following his 1961 win over a large field that contained 11 former champions, including Hall of Famers, Ted Grassi Sr., Jack Aiton, Bob Lichtenwalter, Richard Marasco and three-time winner Roy Nordin; a Times sports reporter wrote: “John Britton, sometimes up, sometimes down but never out, has proved what most people have long suspected- that he is the best amateur in the city”.  John won three city titles in a six-year span.

He captured the Northwest Pennsylvania Amateur in 1958. He and his father teamed up to win the City Father and Son championship in 1936 and 1938. He has recorded at least one hole in one, an ace in 1947 at the Charles River Country Club in Boston, Massachusetts.

Mr. Britton was a prominent member of the Kahkwa Club. In July 1957, he set the Kahkwa amateur course record of 64, broken years later by Hall of Famer, Dr. Richard Marasco. At one point in his carrier, John recorded 15 consecutive rounds in the “60’s” and 17 scores at 70 or better at the Donald Ross layout. John amassed 11 club championship titles at Kahkwa.  John was a key figure, not only for Kahkwa’ s interclub teams, but also for the Erie team in the League of Lower Lakes matches, leading the Erie team to wins over very talented teams from Buffalo, Cleveland and Toledo.

John’s outstanding short game earned him the nickname “the Chipper”.  After his hard-fought loss to John in the 1958 finals, a match that Gene Cuneo classified as “one of the best city finals of all time”, Ray Nordin praised John’s “murderous short game”.  Learning from the trick shot artist, Joe Kirkwood, John developed such a proficiency with the wedge that professionals were making trips to Erie to learn the approach shot from “the Chipper”.

Just as he served our country in World War II, Mr. Britton generously served our community and Northwestern Pennsylvania as a philanthropist. He was one of the original founders and sponsors of the Greater Erie Charity Golf Classic. Mr. Britton helped bring the likes of Arnold Palmer, Julius Boros, Lee Trevino and John Daly to Erie. More importantly, he was instrumental in raising money for charity. He and his wife were honored by The Hamot Health Foundation Second Century Fund in 1997. UPMC Hamot’s trauma center is named in honor of the Britton Family. In 1999, The United Way of Erie presented Mr. Britton with its outstanding philanthropist award.

Mr. Britton was a former owner of Riverside Golf Course. In addition to the Kahkwa Club, he was a member of The Sanctuary Golf Club on Sanibel Island, Florida. His skills and successes led him to rounds at Augusta National, Pine Valley, Oakmont, Royal Troon in Scotland., and many other great courses.

John Britton is a member of the Metropolitan Erie Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. In 1978, Mr. Britton was inducted into the EDGA Hall of Fame.