Brian Ernest Burgmann
March 19th, 2022
We are deeply saddened to announce that Brian Burgmann passed away peacefully at Laurel Place Hospice in the late hours of Saturday, March 19, 2022, after living with liver cancer for five years.
He is survived by Jennifer, his loving wife of 14 years, his mother, Arlene, and his siblings, Troy, and Jackie.
Brian was a Custodian with the Burnaby School Board for over 25 years, with his last posting at Burnaby South Secondary School. He was well-liked and respected by his co-workers and supervisors, as well as the teachers, administrators, and students he interacted with.
Always a loyal and dedicated husband, Brian supported and advocated for his wife when, early in their marriage, she developed a life-threatening illness that left her disabled. He continued to cherish and support her in the following years, as she recovered and regained independence. As a private person, he had few friends, but he was known to neighbors and the staff at his apartment building as friendly, helpful, and trustworthy, ‘the guy who kept an eye on the neighborhood’.
Brian was a skilled horseman and downhill skier and was always happy to share stories about growing up on his parents’ farm with his horse, Tasha, and his wild skiing adventures on Double Black Diamond hills. Also, an animal lover, Brian grew up with many pets on the family farm, and as an adult, shared his home with several cats over the years.
As a last act of service to the world, Brian wanted to donate his body to science and medicine. Unfortunately, UBC was not able to accept it, so his cremated remains will be returned to his wife. Brian never asked for gifts on his birthday and holidays. He always requested for people to donate to their favorite charities instead. To honor this, in lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity. Brian’s preferences were BCSPCA and BC Children’s Hospital.
Brian's Memorial Service will be held at Hope Community Church at 18625 Fraser Highway, Surrey, BC on Saturday, April 23 at noon.
Messages:
My condolences to the family. Brian was so friendly and always stopped to say hello, when he was in the deaf department.
I will miss Brian's warm greetings in the hallway, his dedication to the Burnaby South community and his genuine care of the students. Brian took the time out of his busy days to share a sweet smile and a thoughtful word with everyone he met. He took interest in all the activities students were involved in and especially helped us with arrangements for any extracurricular events. My deepest condolences and sympathies to his family and friends-- he was a valued member of our staff.
Brian was a welcome member of our classroom community at South - students knew him well and were fond of his visits. He always was dedicated to doing a good job for the kids and supported the Rebels athletics program as well as various student initiatives. A donation has been made to the Rebels Food Program in his memory.
I am sorry for your loss. Brian was always a reliable and supportive colleague at Burnaby South. He was great at making the time to say hello and chat. Brian had a heart of gold when it came to helping others and will be greatly missed.
Sorry to hear of Brian's passing. He was a fantastic colleague and a strong supporter of the students at Burnaby South. He was especially supportive of the efforts everyone made around the basketball program. I always enjoyed chatting with Brian. He will be missed. Rest in Peace!
I was lucky to have Brian work in my area of the school. He will be remembered as someone who truly loved being around the students. When you needed something done, Brian was happy to help you out - with a smile on his face. We were lucky to have him at South. He will be missed.
I am so sorry for your loss. Brian was very good to the PHE Department at South. He was always willing to help out and go the extra mile when needed. He was also forever finding pencils in the gyms which kept us well supplied. Brian was always telling us stories of his lovely wife and seemed quite a devoted husband. He will be missed.
Brian was a resident at our building for several years. He was always kind and good natured. He cared about neighbours and property. He was our “Block Watch” Whenever he came to the office He shared his stories as well. He was part of Mainstreet family and will be deeply missed. Rest In Peace!
Brian was a resident at our building for several years. He was always kind and good natured. He cared about neighbours and property. He was our “Block Watch” Whenever he came to the office He shared his stories as well. He was part of Mainstreet family and will be deeply missed. Rest In Peace!
My deepest sympathies to Brian's family and friends. I am so saddened to find out about his passing. I worked with Brian for many years and we developed a good working friendship since he often worked in my section of the school. He was always supportive of events that I was in charge of and went above and beyond to help me out whenever possible. He was a social butterfly so he was well liked by all, but especially by the students. He was a caring person who often put the needs of others before his own. I remember the fundraising event he put together to raise money for his wife's special wheelchair. He was so appreciative of the donations and was surprised by all the support. Brian was a lovely person, who will be missed by many at Burnaby South.
My deepest condolences to your family. Brian was always the best and most reliable custodian at Burnaby South. He always said hi and engaged in conversation. He will truly be missed.
Brian was a cherished and vital part of the Burnaby South School community. When he was initially diagnosed, the overwhelming supportive response from everyone truly moved him. I had many students come to see me with cash donations because they wanted to help him and did not have a credit card to access the GoFundMe page. True to Brian's humble nature, he actually asked me to close the page down when he felt he had more support than he needed or deserved. Brian was without guile. He was honest, open and vocal about his feelings, particularly in the area of social justice. One of my fondest memories of Brian was being on the picket lines with him. He would stand up for anyone who needed support and do what was right, even if it put himself at risk or inconvenience. The world has lost a honourable, friendly, generous and warm soul far too soon. Brian's legacy will live on in how his kindness has impacted others. It was an honour to know and work with him. Sincere condolences to Jennifer and all of those who knew and cared for Brian. May his memory be a blessing.
Please accept my condolences on behalf of the staff and students of Burnaby South. Brian meant a great deal to us and we are very saddened by his passing. He was a part of our school family for many years and we miss him a great deal.
Brian was a hard worker and a social connection in our school. He always had time to attend to the tasks that teachers needed help with in their classrooms. I enjoyed talking about workers' rights with Brian, who was a strong supporter of the Burnaby Teachers' Association during our last strike in 2014. He was brave in the face of illness and he is missed by many of us. Rest in power.
Brian was such a kind and thoughtful man. It was my pleasure to know him when he worked at Alpha Secondary, and his stories were all about those he loved. From plans for Valentine's surprises for Jennifer, to tales of his childhood, his love of life and family shone through. My condolences to all those missing him today. May you hold tightly to you best memories of him.
Brian was always a hard worker who danced to his own drummer. He was happiest when helping others and always willing to give a helping hand. He was a good guy and will be missed by many. He fought a valiant battle but is now at rest. R.I.P.
May your journey to angels be smooth and full of light, Brian. I worked with Brian at the same school for a few years. He was a very nice and caring colleague, always ready to go an extra mile to lend a hand when it was needed. I will always remember him that way!
I only had the pleasure of working with Brian for 1 year at South, but his commitment to his work & the South community were unforgettable. He was a great person & I know he will be deeply missed. My condolences to his family.
So very sorry for your loss of Brian. I never met the man, but saw wonderful stuff from his wife Jennifer, and really enjoy her portrait of her husband. To his family, his wife and his in-laws. Please accept my sincere condolences and I will keep you all in my prayers...
Our deepest condolences to you, the Burgmann family. Nancy and I are saddened by your loss. My dad as well worked for the Burnaby school board. I remember Brian saying that they had met a few times. I’m sure Brian will be missed by the people who knew him.
I've known you Brian for almost 10 years and you've shown so much love and support to your wife and family. We will miss you dearly and may you rest in peace . I'm sure you are with our loving creator now. Gone too soon.
Still missing you, my love. -poobear