Marvin Britton (center) is flanked on the left by his son, Rick Britton, owner of DMP, and his grandson, Jeff Britton, a marketing analyst at DMP.

“Marv Britton was a highly respected person in the industry and truly a gentleman, a man of great character and a person universally liked,” declared Stanley Oppenheim, president of DGA Security Systems, New York. “He had a successful alarm company and was responsible for starting DMP.

Britton founded Atlas Security Service in 1962, which grew to be the largest independently owned and operated security company in southwest Missouri. His son-in-law, Jim Wade, owner of Atlas Security, recalled that Britton liked to say he got in the security business by buying the assets of a company called Atlas Patrol, which were a badge and a shoebox.

“That’s how he got started, and not too long after that, a chain of department stores named Gibson’s in Springfield called, and his brother put the alarm in the store and they started monitoring it,” Wade related. “It grew from there.”

Britton retired in 1988 and sold DMP to his son, Rick Britton, in 1991. Britton is survived by his wife of 56 years, Tootie Britton, and by his children: son Rick and wife Jan Britton; daughter Patsy and husband Steve Powell; daughter Nancy and husband Jim Wade; and 10 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Condolences may be sent to 2500 N. Partnership, Springfield, Mo. 65803.