Burton Ellis Mintline “passed into eternal rest on the evening of April 7, 2025, exactly 18 years after his mother, Helen, died,” his family wrote in a tribute, “finally pain-free after years of struggling with several medical issues.” He was 72.

“Burt was born in Albany on May 7, 1952 to an already overwhelmed family,” the tribute said, “and was soon placed into foster care. He was taken in as a toddler by Selleck ‘Gene’ Mintline and his wife, Helen (née Linacre) Mintline of Voorheesville and was adopted by them when he was 5 years old.

“As the family grew, they eventually settled in Latham, where Burt attended local public schools. While still a student at Shaker High, Burt enlisted in the Army where he earned his GED. Due to his young age, he was sent to serve in Germany rather than Vietnam. There, he got into a lot of trouble, but was honorably discharged in early 1971.

“Back stateside, Burt held a variety of positions in several different trades over the course of five-plus decades. He drove dump trucks, school buses, tractor-trailers, and tow trucks and did other jobs of a general contracting nature.

“He worked at different times for Pepsi in Menands, Pauling Rubber, Pittard’s Cookie Jar in Latham, and several trucking companies (including UPS’s Feeder Division). He was part of the maintenance department at Teresian House.

“After Leo Nosal inherited what was basically his father’s ‘hobby’ of a campground on Saratoga Lake, Burt helped him build Lee’s Park into a thriving business. He also worked with Phil's Automotive in Troy, after meeting Phil at the campground. Burt even drove a tow truck down to Texas after hurricane Harvey and the Carolinas after hurricane Florence, to assist with recovery efforts.

“In 1988, Burt went to the driver recruiter’s office at Chauffeur’s Training School in Albany to ask them to find him a long-haul co-driver. He wanted a female, because ‘they are less likely to stink.’ The person they recommended turned out to be the woman who stood by him for the rest of his life, and they eloped in September of that year. It was the second marriage for both of them.”

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Burton Ellis Mintline is survived by his patient and caring wife, Dottie (née Dean) Mintline; his brother, Larry Mintline, and his wife, Barbara; his sisters Karen Lawrence and her husband, Craig, and Barbie Mangione; his daughters Leah Sank and Athena Dyer and her husband, David; his grandchildren Lewis, Patty, and Christine Sank, Kailei Squillante, Sarah and David Michael Dyer; several nieces and nephews; as well as one great-grandchild, Lillianne Marie.

He is also survived by his stepsons, Michael Gay, Peter Gay and his wife, EunYoung, and David Gay and his wife, Yusimy, and 11 stepgrandchildren.

In addition to his parents, his younger brother, Donald Mintline, died before him, as did a young man he treated as his own son, Michael Keasbey. His beloved feline companion, Elena, also died recently.

A Celebration of Life is being planned for an already scheduled family reunion on Sunday afternoon, April 27, from 1 to 3 p.m. Close friends are more than welcome to call or Facebook Message for the location of the venue.

Memorial contributions may be made to Life Path Supportive Services (Meals on Wheels) with donations can be made payable to: Senior Services Centers of the Albany Area Inc., 28 Colvin Avenue, Suite 2, Albany, NY 12206.