Remembering My Friend, Dan Burr

Some friendships shape the course of your life in ways you only fully appreciate much later. For me, one of those friendships was with Dan Burr. We grew up together at Glad Tidings Church, navigating our teenage years, early adulthood, marriage, ministry, and music side by side. When I learned of Dan’s passing yesterday at the age of 72, a wave of sadness washed over me—but alongside it came a deep thankfulness. Thankfulness for the years we shared, the memories we made, and the impact he had on my life.

This blog is simply my way of saying: Thank you, Dan, for the gift of your friendship.

Memories of Dan

Growing up in Glad Tidings, Dan was one of my closest friends through our teenage years and into young adulthood as we were getting married and stepping into ministry. When I heard of Dan’s passing, I was saddened but grateful for the friendship and brotherhood we shared. Here are some of the memories that shaped those meaningful years:

• Attending GT Boys Club and Boys Club hikes with Dan.

• Playing intense ping-pong matches in his parents’ basement in Richmond when we were young teenagers.
• Going to Glad Tiding Kids Camp as campers and later as counsellors and leaders.

• Double dating with Dan and Karen.
• Playing drums for Dan’s quartet, The New Dimensions. Dan was a good drummer and taught me to play drums for his group.

• Driving the Oregon coast with Dan and Bob Niles in his parents’ Volkswagen when we were 16 or 17—getting completely rained out and then deciding to drive all night to San Francisco.

• Playing sax with New Dimensions and The Liberty Brass at the PNE (Pacific National Exhibition) every August.

• Standing beside Dan as the Best Man at his wedding to Karen.

• Producing and playing on one of Dan’s earliest solo albums.

• Receiving a phone call from Dan while I was traveling in Europe with a music team—asking me to come home and direct the Glad Tidings Choir.
• Sitting in Dan’s office at Glad Tidings as he shared the difficult issues he had to navigate during the transition after Maureen Gaglardi’s departure.
• Directing the Glad Tidings Choir with Dan as one of our main soloists.

• Sitting with Dan as he gave Anna and me our one and only pre-marriage counseling session.
• Traveling with Dan and Karen to Seattle to attend Bill Gothard’s Institute in Basic Life Principles.
• Going down to the Seattle waterfront for dinner and taking one of my favorite photos—us dressed in old-fashioned costumes.

• Saying goodbye to Dan and Karen in 1982 as they launched out to travel and sing full-time.
• Visiting Dan and Karen in their home in greater Los Angeles.

These moments were more than events—they were threads in a friendship that shaped my life in lasting ways.

Dan’s Legacy

Dan lived his life with sincerity, excellence, and a love for God that was evident in everything he did—his music, his ministry, and his family. He had a warmth that drew people in and a voice that carried both strength and tenderness. What I will remember most is his faithfulness: faithful to his calling, faithful to his church, faithful to his friends, and faithful to the God he loved. His impact stretched far beyond a stage or a platform; it reached into countless lives, including mine.

Though he is now in the presence of Jesus, the seeds he planted through his ministry and the memories he sowed in those of us who loved him will continue to bear fruit for years to come.

Final Thoughts

As I think back on our journey—from ping-pong battles in Richmond to ministry moments at Glad Tidings, from late-night road trips to standing beside him as he married Karen—I’m filled with gratitude. These memories remind me that God weaves people into our lives at just the right time, and Dan was one of those people for me. I will miss him, but I rejoice knowing he is now home with the Lord he served so well.

Thank you, Dan, for the laughter, the music, the ministry, and the friendship. You ran your race well.