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Volume 2184
DANTON BURROUGHS V
SCHOOL CHUMS REMEMBER
ROBERT (BOB) MERTES
I was close friends with Danton for many years as we shared a great many interests and we also had been school mates  and known each other since 1957. Dan and I shared an interest in great music of all kinds (especially Doo-Wop/R&B), juke boxes, records and all associated artifacts and memorabilia. Through the nineteen eighties and into the nineties, we shared an interest together in a jukebox rental business, that we both enjoyed immensely. Not known by all, the musical aspect of Dan's interest was basically the center of which most of the rest revolved around, this is the reason for the most incredible collection of golden and silver age jukeboxes, speakers and wall boxes. Not to mention, what I estimate to be maybe as much as, if not more than 750,000 records. As you know, our friend Danton was a collector, rivaled by none, he always strived to be the best and he was. I was notified on the day of his death by another close friend of ours and subsequent to that I sent a letter in the form of an email to all the other school and childhood friends that Dan and I knew and shared together. The letter follows:

May 1, 2008
To all of the fine friends of our beloved Danton Burroughs, it's barely one whole day now that our friend has passed on to a higher plane. I have been thinking about Danny, as we all called him when we were children, all day today. I have been thinking of him in the many ways that he loved the things he loved. Antiques, marbles, juke boxes, records, doo-wop, rhythm and blues, gospel, C & W, rock and roll, tile top tables, shrunken heads, eyeballs and embryos in formaldehyde, an actual wolfs head, a bust of an Elvis Presley likeness, sheet music, remote speakers and remote wall boxes, a collection of various doctors implements and then at the same time a collection of modern street light globes, street light stanchions and other figures from the early Hollywood era, an entire collection of bolts, studs and nuts for assembling power line supports and two hundred other collections of some of the most eclectic memorabilia to ever exist. My friend Dan Burroughs was definitely the most unique individual that I have ever had the pleasure to encounter. His interest were extremely widespread, from hither to yon and back again. Some of the most memorable moments of my life were spent in the company of our loved one, Danny and I miss him now and will through the course of the rest of my existence here. My hope and dream is to spend the eternity with the spirits of those beings that I have loved and I fully expect to spend time and space with our Danton once again. Dan was Loved by us all, a testimony that is typically shared by few, he was always considered and asked after no matter what the occasions were. I cannot recall a time when visiting with any of the close circle of Reseda High and childhood friends, that almost without exception I was asked how he was doing, if he was getting along OK, and what he was up to. Yes he was and is Loved by us all and I think he will probably be one of the most missed people in each and every one of our lives. He was a genuine caring, good soul, I truly believe I've not known anyone else with a greater sense of compassion. We all will miss Danton Burroughs, starting from the last moment we saw or spoke to him until our own demise. As for me I just want to say; God Bless and God Speed Danny Burroughs, my long time friend, confidant and record collector. He would really like to know that he was referred to that way, what a great guy, what a good friend to us all. My love to you all, all my very special friends, we all grieve together. As Dan liked to call me Rob, (Bob) Mertes


SANDY SIVACOE QUIGLEY
I am so very sorry to hear of Danny's passing.  My twin brother and I went to high school with Danny and my brother, Bob Sivacoe lived in Catalina with Danny in their late teens for awhile and had a great time.  Danny and Bob were in the Tri-Chi Fraternity at Pierce College in the middle 60's.  That was such a fun time in all of our lives.  Bob and I had lunch at Monty's with Danny and have pictures of that day and later went up to his house to see his treasures, so many.  That was about a year ago or so and I am so glad we did that.  For our 40th birthday Dan brought over a jukebox and we had about 100 friends from the old days of Tarzana (we grew up in Tarzana also) and had a ball.  My brother and Dan did the Tarzan yell all the time and were two birds of a feather.  We will always treasure our times and memories with and of Danny.  He was one of a kind, unique, smart and loved his family history.  He looked so much like his dad and grandfather.  He loved his mom so much too and Linda and the girls.  Love to you Danny . . .


TOM DAVIS
I attended Ridgewood Military Academy and was a classmate of Danton.

I remember him as a good friend and because of our friendship I became a great fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs.  Whenever I started rereading any of the 96 Burroughs books I had in my library my wife would leave the room knowing that I would be there until I finished reading it.

I am very sorry to hear of his passing. Please accept my sincerest condolences.


STEVE HURLEY
I’m going to miss Danny a lot.  I first encountered the books of Edgar Rice Burroughs when Dan and I were friends back at Reseda High School.  I was the second youngest person in our class and, as such I believe, more susceptible to the wild and wonderful stories that ERB wove than my other classmates.  I became so immersed in Burroughs lore that Danny once told me “you know more about my family than I do”.

We both eventually became inveterate collectors of “stuff” and talked about our interests whenever we got together.  It was always a treat to run into Danny at the Pasadena City College swap meet and at the San Diego Comic Con.

As a charter member of the Southern California chapter of the Burroughs Bibliophiles I know that I speak for other members when I say that we felt extremely lucky to have Dan’s support and company at our events. Danny was a Good Guy and a Cool Head; my life will be less fun without him.


ROBERT PARKER
My name is Robert Parker, Danny and I were close friends while growing upon on Topeka Dr. in Tarzana.
Dan was an exceedingly unique individual with tremendous energy and intelligence.
Over our young years we experienced truly amazing and hilarious adventures.
If anyone could come back it would be Danny.  I shed a tear! Rest well Danny, my friend, see you in the future.

All my best to Linda and Danny's family.
Robert Parker


From the MAPLE LEAF SOCIETY Site
http://mapleleafbrotherhood.blogspot.com/
The Alumni Arm of the Brotherhood of Phi Delta Psi Fraternity.
Los Angeles Pierce, Valley, and City College California State University Northridge Moorpark College and Virginia Tech.

 Phi Delta Psi Friends of Danton Burroughs - May 17, 2008 - Archive of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley.
Longtime friends of  Phi Delts attended the tribute to honor the life and spirit of Danton Burroughs
Over 200 people braved an over 100 degree afternoon at the Tarzana Community Center.
Among them were (l to r) Jerry Berns, Rob Miller, Peter Shields and Jerry Fecht.
 
Danton Burroughs ~ Bill Hillman ~ Denny MillerSince Danton's death, our phone and e-mail accounts have been flooded with messages of condolence from all over the world, directed to Dan's family, ERB, Inc. and ourselves. In addition to regular members of the various ERB-related listservs (reported at ERBlist) and blogs, we have received a barrage of calls and letters from Burroughs family members, friends, business associates, media, ERB scholars, researchers, dedicated fans, and even friends and neighbours who helped the family clean-up the aftermath of the fire. 

Some of the prominent ERB-community members who have phoned or sent personal condolences include:  Jim Sullos (president of ERB, Inc.), George T. McWhorter (Burroughs Bibliophiles, Bulletin editor & Curator: Burroughs Memorial Collection – University of Louisville), Camille (Caz) Cazedessus (ERBdom), Frank Westwood (England's Fantastic Worlds of ERB magazine), Mary Burroughs (JCB's second wife), Stacy Burroughs (Dan's step-sister), Nanette Mark (JCB's caregiver), Alex Cornelius (Danton's attorney and family representative), Janet Mann (ERB, Inc. secretary), Sean Egan (London's SFX magazine), Bob Hall (Dan's antique collector friend), Larry Lingeman (a close Tarzana friend), Col. Henry Franke (just returned from duty in Afghanistan and about to resume major ERB projects), Jerry O'Hara (longtime advisor to Danton), Peter O'Keefe (friend, researcher and ERB/Tarzana booster), Chris Olsen (friend), Bill Morse (NY friend and legal advisor), Tracy Griffin (Hollywood actor and writer of major ERB articles and documentaries), Patrice Bonneyrat (PBS documentary producer), Russell Edsinger (ERB ListServ moderator & performer), Andy Mangels (wonderwomanmuseum.com), Ron de Laat (Netherlands Website devoted to ERB), David Burton (artist), Dick Spargur (publisher), Jairo Uparella (ERB researcher from Bogota, Columbia), John Small (journalist, columnist and broadcaster), Ron Prindle (author), Phil Burger (author & ERB researcher), Thomas Yeates (artist), Mike Richardson (writer, film producer and president of Dark Horse Comics & Entertainment), Brian Bohnett (author & publisher), Jim van Hise (author, publisher, collector), Dave Hoover (Tarzan artist and animator), Harry Knowles (Ain’t It Cool News), Jerry Berns (Danton's longtime friend), Bob O'Malley (Burroughs Bibliophile), Joan Bledig (graphic designer & publisher), Ken Manson (journalist), Chris Wrenn (friend), Robert Beerbohm (SF personality & collector), Laurence Dunn (president: Burroughs Bibliophiles), Georgia Pine (ERB fan), Bruce & Krista Meyer (fans & writers), Ward Orndoff (collector & writer), Robert (Bob) Mertes (school chum), Chuck Pogue (Hollywood screenwriter), Shawn Dueck (artist - Regina, SK), J. G. Huckenpöhler (Burroughs Bibliophile), Sandy Sivacoe Quigley (school chum), Bob Burrows (Burroughs Bibliophiles), Dr. S. Bradleigh Vinson (ERB Archivist ~ Burroughs Bibliophile), Richard Rose (old friend), Russie Ofria (friend), Bruce Bozarth (ERBList), Rick Benavides (personal friend), Kathy Spain (Joan Burroughs Pierce's granddaughter), Debbie and David T Alexander (longtime friends from Tampa, FL), Steve Allsup (ERB fan and writer), Michael Tierney (friend and writer), Jim Colovin (Animal Trainer for Film & Television), Kim (Burroughs) Siflinger (step-sister), Jerry Fecht (San Fernando Valley), Michael Pasqua (friend & ERB fan), Don Daro (longtime friend), Tom Davis (Ridgewood Military Academy classmate), Steve Hurley (Reseda High School school chum), Rob Clampett (writer and son of Bob Clampett) Steve Ramada (Tarzana Cultural Center), Dave Fury (biographer), Rick Keeney (fan), Michael Prescott (fan), Reimer Boller (author), Stephen Cassinelli (Art collector/musician/songwriter), Richard Buck (ERB fan), Frank Blisard (author), Robert Parker (Boyhood friend)  Stephen Korshak (Publisher/Art Collector), James A. Bergen Jr. (author of the Price and Reference Guide to Books Written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, etc.), Joan Blyth (longtime ERB fan) . . . to name a few. . . . with more to come.

Send your messages of condolence to: Tarzan@westman.wave.ca

Read the Danton Burroughs Obituary in the LA Times: HERE

This obituary is reprinted, along with the official news release at: www.ERBzine.com/news

 

THE DANTON BURROUGHS MEMORIAL TRIBUTE SITE
CONTENTS
www.erbzine.com/dantonburroughs
Intro

Contents
Memories

1. Hillman
Memories

2. Friends
Memories

3. Yeates
Memories

4. Griffin
Memories

5. School Chums
Photos 1

Ages
Photos 2

Treasures
Photos 3

Conventions
Photos 4

Broadway
Photos 5

Tarzana
Memories

6. Bibliophiles
Memories

7. Phil Burger
Celebration of Life

1. Memorial Card
Celebration of Life

2. Friend's Eulogy
Celebration of Life

3. Hillman Eulogy Notes
Celebration of Life

4. Mertes ~ Photos I
Celebration of Life

5. Photos II
Remembered

Photos III
Remembered

Photos IV
Remembered

Family Archive
Remembered

Hillman Eulogy
Remembered

Early Years
Remembered

Later Years

Press Stories

To be a part of our condolences and memories pages send your tributes to:
Tarzan@westman.wave.ca

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