She was "overwhelmed" when RSA welfare trust chairman Paul Galloway, administrator Sally Turner and president Lox Kellas visited her Mornington home yesterday to give her a certificate making her an honorary member.
She sought to play down her efforts, which involved selling poppies on the corner of George and Frederick Sts each year for more than 40 years.
It was only one day out of every year that she gave to the cause, Mrs Burton said.
"Some people do things every week or every month."
Apart from selling poppies she also organised a group of fellow Poppy Day collectors from Knox Church. It had been a bit of a family affair over the years, with her late husband coming down to collect with her when he could.
Her most successful year was probably when her granddaughter came along.
She was keen to keep collecting as long as she could.
"It’s such a worthy cause.
"It’s such a great organisation, because most of us have had some family members, fathers, uncles, brothers, who have been involved in the wars over the years."
She had two uncles who fought and were wounded in World War 1, while her father helped build Nadi Airport in Fiji to help the war effort in World War 2.
Mr Kellas said Mrs Burton was fully deserving of becoming an honorary member.
"Forty years is a pretty good effort," he said.
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