Donald Nelson Burton

Don was born in Toronto, Ontario, on June 14, 1972, and grew up in the family home on Barker Ave.

Don became involved with Scouting at an early age and remained active until his early twenties. It was there that he developed one of his first true passions: the outdoors. Camping, canoeing, biking, rock climbing, and hiking were pursuits he lived for, and as he grew up there were few weekends not spent on a trip with friends. This love of the outdoors eventually led him to Loyalist College, where he studied forestry, and later led him to working at the Europe Bound store in Toronto.

Music was a second great passion. As a teen, Don had a knack for finding the hidden gems among local bands and was curious about all genres. Don was blessed with the ability to pick up almost any instrument and learn it quickly—it simply came naturally to him, and could he ever play!

Eventually, the pull of the outdoors brought Don to the place he would truly call home. In the early 2000s, he headed west to Vancouver to manage the Coast Mountain store. Later, he also worked for Hillsound and Bicycle Sports Pacific. Throughout his life, the outdoors remained a constant theme.

What began as reconnecting with friends from back home who were now living in Vancouver grew into years of shared houses filled with instruments and musicians. Many new friendships formed, and many bands were born. The longest and most memorable of these chapters was the “Od House” on Odlum Drive near the Britannia Community Centre. It was here in East Van that Don spent his last 15 or so years.

His friends will forever cherish memories from that house: weekly—and often more frequent—dart nights (always a modified version of cricket), always accompanied by music, usually chosen by Don. Funky jams and old-school hip hop ruled the speakers. The flow of the game was never to be interrupted, except for the occasional smoke break on the porch after a winner was declared, followed by a round of jamming on bass or his beloved Gretsch in the basement before the next game began.

Don is lovingly remembered by his father David; his brother Ted (Dana); and his nephews, Samuel and Isaac. He was predeceased by his mother, Barbara. His loss leaves a deep void for his many friends on the West Coast.

Memorial gatherings in Vancouver and Ontario will be planned at a future date.