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John Bartlett Burr M.D.

1932 - 2019

John Bartlett Burr M.D. obituary, 1932-2019, Salem, OR

BORN

1932

DIED

2019

FUNERAL HOME

Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service

605 Commercial St SE

Salem, Oregon

John Burr Obituary

John Bartlett Burr, M.D.

Salem - 1932 - 2019

John was born in Oakland, CA on 3/11/1932 to Anthony Allen and Katherine Virginia Burr. His early life was spent in Alameda, CA and near Salt Lake City, Utah. He attended Shawnigan Lake Boarding School for Boys from age 12-17 on Vancouver Island, Canada. John earned his B.A. in Biochemistry from the University of British Columbia and his medical degree there in 1957. When at UBC he met the love of his life Katharine Rose Goudy and they married on August 28, 1956.

In addition to his wedding that summer, John joined the U.S. Navy and served his medical internship at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland, CA. After a one-year assignment to Camp Pendleton with the Marines, John returned to Oak Knoll for three years of his orthopedic residency. He studied his fourth year in children's orthopedics at Blodgett Memorial Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. While a resident he and his fellow residents copied over a thousand photographs of orthopedic pathology. The collection was enlarged when John studied at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C. While in Long Beach, CA he taught orthopedic pathology to the residents at the VA Hospital in the evenings. When he retired he gave the slide collection to OHSU.

From 1964 to 1967 he worked at the Naval Hospital in Long Beach, CA. Prior to his assignment in August 1967 to August 1968 as Chief of Orthopedics at the U.S. Naval Support Activity (I Corps) in Da Nang, Viet Nam, he was promoted to Commander. He received the Navy Commendation Medal for meritorious service and then returned to the Long Beach Naval Hospital as Chief of Orthopedics. After fourteen years of service in the U.S. Navy John resigned his commission in 1970.

After John's parents divorced when he was ten years old he worked hard at all sorts of odd jobs such as sweeping up the sawdust in the butcher's shop, mowing lawns, selling day old pies to the workers in the Alameda shipyards. He even "hawked" his aunt's weekend transportation tickets to and from Alameda and San Francisco to the sailors during WWII for extra change. When he was caught selling the tickets he kept changing his location! Later he worked for P.G. & E. in Oakland ditch digging, welding, and using a jackhammer for four months each summer while going to university. At the end of the day he worked at the local outdoor movie theater.

In 1970 John and Katharine moved their family, son John Andrew, daughter Alison Rose and son Mathew Bartlett to Salem where John joined a private orthopedic practice with Thad Stanford. John also served as Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Salem Hospital for a few years and was the Sports Medicine Physician at Willamette University from 1970 to 1983. He was honored for his service when Willamette named the Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center at the Sparks Athletic Center after him. John was also a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the Western Orthopedic Association. He was greatly respected by his fellow physicians and his patients were the recipients of his skills and gentle bedside manner. It was not uncommon for John to stop at the home of his elderly patients to check in on them after a major surgery, and sometimes it would be while on his daily run.

Although John was a dedicated physician and worked a great deal, he also found time to enjoy family camping trips. John taught his children to enjoy and respect the outdoors while teaching them many skills, especially fishing. He and his close friends and family took many weeklong fishing trips to the Deschutes River and Alaska.

Another of the joys in John's life was the cabin he and Katharine purchased in 1981 on the Metolius River. John enjoyed fly fishing and became known and loved by many of the locals, some who referred to a prime fishing spot in front of his cabin as "John's Hole".

Prior to retiring John and Katharine traveled to Europe and the South Pacific for medical meetings and later for pleasure.

John was an ardent supporter of Shawnigan Lake School which he credited for giving him his direction in education. When he inherited his aunt's estate he donated all the funds to the school in her memory as it was she who paid for his entire pre-university education. He later served two terms on the Board of Governors and the Shawnigan USA Fund Committee.

John and Katharine's three children and grandchildren live nearby and all were at his side when he passed peacefully on 07/03/19. John is survived by his loving wife Katharine, son John Andrew (Linda), daughter Alison Rose Fisher, son Mathew Bartlett (Erika), and grandchildren Austin, Erika, Alexa, Jamieson, Andrew, and Jack; half-sister Jane Ruefenacht (Charlie), and half-brother David Burr (Shauna). His half-brother Greg Burr predeceased him.

The family would like to thank Dr. Hoa Hoang, the staff at Capitol Manor Memory Care, and Serenity Hospice for the care and support they provided John and his family. Donations in memory of John may be sent to: The research fund at Rettsyndrome.org, Serenity Hospice (6444 Fairway Ave. SE, Salem, OR 97306), or the John Burr Sports Medicine Rehabilitation Center at Willamette University (900 State St., 3rd Floor, Waller Hall, Salem, OR 97301).

The family invites friends to attend a memorial gathering at Montag Center in Baxter Hall on the campus of Willamette University on July 27th from 1:00 to 3:00pm. Assisting the family is Virgil T. Golden Funeral Home.

Published by The Statesman Journal from Jul. 10 to Jul. 21, 2019.
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Katherine:
I did not know that John had passed. I am writing a book about my medical experiences in Viet Nam and Navy. I have just retired after practicing 47 years here in Atlanta, Ga. pediatric ophthalmology. After one year in Viet Nam I spent my second year 1969-70 at the Long Beach Naval Hospital. Because I had one year of general surgery residency before being drafted they put me to work for a year in Orthopedics under John,. Counting my internship and Navy and residency I practiced over 50 years. I found John Burr to be the top physician that I had the privilege of working with in my career. He was so knowledgeable and such a fine physician in his care of his patients. It was an honor to work with him. I also will miss him and will always remember him as one of the greats in my life.

Zane F. Pollard MD Atlanta,Ga.
[email protected]

zane pollard

Work

November 27, 2022

Sending prayers and heartfelt condolences to the whole family
I enjoyed having you as our friends and neighbor while living on Alvarado Terrace.
Alison baby-sat Marcus and Erik East and I enjoyed knowing Kathryn.
It is interesting to note that my son Marcus East.M.D. ended up practicing at the Center Street Eye Clinic which was just next door to the old Salem Hospital, his place of birth. Since then, we have all run into each other in the same waiting room.
It's a small world!
Warmest,
Birgitta Carlson

Birgitta Carlson

Friend

July 26, 2019

Katharine and family,
Hilary Abbott just forwarded the link to us as he was on his way to the service. We have printed the obituary, and it will become a treasured part of my Shawnigan memories. Carol Jean and I are so sorry that we can't attend. John was always an inspiration and a great role model. I am attaching a photo of John, Francois, Stu, Mardi Rees, and David taken at the dedication of the Lonsdale statue.

Pat Gaffney

July 26, 2019

Dear Burr Family,
I am so sad to hear of Dr. Burr's passing. I have so many memories of him, from skiing at Hoodoo with Allison, to being his patient for many years, to the wonderful friendship that he shared with my parents, to the incredible compassion and kindness that he extended to me and my family as I was losing my parents. I will always think of him with a smile, and how fortunate I was to have known this extraordinary and gentle soul. May you find peace in your treasured memories of your wonderful husband and father.
Stacey Erickson Lauretti

Stacey Erickson Lauretti

July 20, 2019

Stacey Erickson Lauretti

July 20, 2019

I remember this kind soul from when I was a kid and my ma was one of his pts, he will be missed

a l

July 14, 2019

Dr. Burr was a special man! He treated all 7 of our childrens feet, that turned in, and they all walk great today because of him. He also employed my sister Verla for many years. She loved working for him. He showed love and compassion for everyone he met.

Ann Kuenzi

July 10, 2019

A kind man, a noble spirit, a dedicated physician, a man that always strived to be a positive force, and made all around him feel better for his simply being there. A friend I will always remember fondly.

July 10, 2019

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Memorial Gathering

1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Montag Center in Baxter Hall on the campus of Willamette University

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Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service

605 Commercial St SE, Salem, OR 97301

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