Burton Kenneth Grytness, of Post Falls, died Jan. 21, 2012, in Coeur d'Alene, at age 77. He was born Sept. 1, 1934, in Duluth, Minn., the firstborn child of William and Amber Grytness.

The family moved to the Post Falls area in 1952, when he was 17. Self-employed most of his life, Burton worked in the logging and trucking industries before becoming an independent gemstone dealer in the early 1980s. He was also an accomplished musician who loved to sing and play guitar; for a time as a young man, he played pedal steel guitar professionally in the country/western band of the late Charlie Ryan. Burton was a lifelong member of Jehovah's Witnesses, and was active in various local congregations.

He is survived by three sons: Kenneth of Kent, Wash., Donald of Post Falls and Brett of Spokane; two daughters: Laurie Wiese of Spokane and Lisa Hernandez of Coeur d'Alene; a sister: Barbara Simshauser of Grand Junction, Color.; four brothers: Keith of Las Vegas, Nev., Giles of Kingston, David of Richland, Wash., and Terry of Olympia, Wash.; and numerous grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, N. 949 Syringa Road, Post Falls.