David Burt

Our dear Father, devoted husband, caring brother, and humble steward David John Burt was brought back into the loving light and presence of his Savior Jesus Christ on Monday the 4th of September 2023. He was welcomed into the arms of many incredible, beloved spirits who have long awaited his return. Our hearts are comforted in the knowledge that he is reunited with those he loved during his life, who had gone ahead of him to prepare the way.

David is the 3rd of four children born to Boyd and Louise Burt on March 19, 1958, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He grew up in Bainbridge Island, Washington which always held a special place in his heart. He was a graduate of the Bainbridge High School class of 1976 where he excelled as a member of the Frogs basketball team and earned a letter in tennis. Sports were one of David's favorite things, he was a naturally gifted & fiercely competitive athlete. His love of the game followed him through his life through playing church sports, and he passed that passion on to his children who also excelled in different sports during their youth. He loved cheering on BYU and shared that love with his family by arranging a few trips to travel to see their football games. He especially loved it when they won, naturally.

During his childhood and formative years, David had many unique opportunities to travel and see different parts of the country and world. It was while living in Tehran, Iran that he received his mission call - in his words 'the first missionary to ever receive a call out of Iran'...something he was so very proud of. He was called to serve in the England Leeds Mission where he faithfully & humbly served from 1977-1979 as an upstanding missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These years were one of the greatest highlights of his life, and he never hesitated to share any of his incredible mission stories. He would regularly bring out his mission journal and his eyes would light up as he recalled some of his favorite memories. It brought him immense joy whenever he reflected on those he met and served alongside. Through his service, he was blessed to meet and form strong bonds with some amazing people, and he continued to nurture & cherish those friendships for the past four decades. David is so proud to be a member of his beloved Church and has carried a strong testimony of the gospel throughout this life. He blessed his congregation - and his sweetheart Susan - by blessing the sacrament and sharing his testimony the day before he passed. The peace and comfort that brings David's family cannot be measured.

David fell in love with England so much during his mission, he decided to return to Grimsby to work at a scaffolding company. Little did he know, his true mission in this life was just beginning. It was at a church dance in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire that he first saw her. He built up the courage to ask for a dance, even though his nickname was 'Dave No Dance'. She said yes. They danced all night. And their whirlwind love story began. Six weeks later, David proposed to Susan Darbyshire who is the love of his life, the mother of his children, and the key to his heart. David & Susan were forever sealed for time & all eternity in the Idaho Falls Temple on May 24, 1980. Together, they made their home in Utah, raised 7 fun-loving incredible children, and built an imperfectly beautiful life for more than 43 years. There was never a doubt that they were soulmates. They always were openly affectionate with hugs, kisses, and there was never a day that didn't have at least one 'I love you'. Their love and devotion to one another - through thick & thin - was and will always be a beautiful example to their children. David loves his family, and it brought him so much joy to see his family together. Although he may have had unique ways of showing his love, at the end of the day, there was never a doubt that he loved his family and valued his time with them more than anything else. Becoming a grandpa changed David, it opened his heart, and his grandchildren were his absolute pride & joy. He was so loving and patient with them and looked forward to their visits. He cherished every opportunity to spend time with them and we know he is on the other side preparing his newest granddaughter for her entry into this world.

David loved to take trips to southern Utah and introduced his children to a love for the great outdoors. These often-spontaneous road trips created incredible memories and fueled his lifetime love for adventure and the outdoors. It also lit a fire in his children, who became avid adventurers themselves. Just a couple weeks ago, David and some of his children took a 4-mile hike around Washington Lake in the Uinta Mountains together, taking photos, collecting rocks, and catching frogs. His family will forever cherish the time spent together and are grateful to have captured memories that we will hold dear for this lifetime. David is never happier and more at peace than when he is in nature, surrounded by the beautiful presence of all of God's magnificent creations. The simplicity of a calm lake, the majesty (and climbing potential) of a tree, and the serenity of a painted sunset. He never missed an opportunity to bask in these moments and loved nothing more than capturing them with his camera. He regularly shared these images with his family & friends and loved texting his 'observation of the day' to share words of wisdom from the road. And in true fashion, he could never let an opportunity pass to make one of his infamous 'Dad jokes' or find a correlation to a funny childhood memory.

David was a tireless worker who dedicated his entire life to providing for his family, even working multiple jobs if that is what it took to ensure his family was taken care of. Even while raising a family and working full-time, he was able to attend Salt Lake Community College, where made the Dean's Honor Roll and graduated with his Associate's degree. He took pride in his work and passed that work ethic on to his children and inspired many around him. David was proud to call himself a 'Truck Driving Accountant' and that is how he wants to be remembered. For over 20 years, he proudly (and professionally) drove commercial trucks, most recently for KKW who honored him with an Outstanding Achievement Award in 2022 in recognition of 15 years of service. Accolades or not, David always took pride in being the BEST at what he did - and he was. He loved the freedom that came with driving and would often create his own unique routes so that he would never take the same road twice, when possible, and even with his scenic detours, he always stayed on schedule. Because that is David: dependable.

David is the epitome of an adventurer; it is in his soul. He truly blazed his own trail, both figuratively and literally. There was not a hike he couldn't conquer, and he never left a stone unturned. His love for rocks began many years ago. He would always seek out unique rocks, often lagging behind on a hike in pursuit of the PERFECT rock. He loved seeing how many he could find that looked like different shapes - especially those shaped like states. He started to routinely collect rocks from his road trips, where he would stack them into piles in his yard - and on the kitchen counter, much to his wife's chagrin. He added to them with nearly every trip, and we loved joking about how he would eventually have an entire rock garden. We will forever look at rocks and think of David.

When he was at home in his safe space, David enjoyed putting together Dowdle puzzles, taking trips to Costco, indulging in books, feeding the birds in his backyard, doing yard work, chopping wood (even when he bought a chainsaw, he still preferred good old fashion manual labor), shoveling snow, building fires, taking naps, and never shied away from the challenge of a Sudoku. But his favorite part of being home was being with his sweetheart Susan. David found the magic of Christmas later in life and began taking an interest in Christmas lights and decorations. It became an obsession which eventually reached 'Griswold' status...which was one of our favorite jokes. Looking back now, we understand that he did that to bring joy to those around him. And his family will ensure this tradition - and his memory - lives on each Christmas.

Lastly, but by no means least, David is a giver. He is extraordinarily generous with his time, his money, but more especially his heart. In most recent years, he donated to many charitable causes and those in need. He never missed an opportunity to deliver flowers or a Bundt cake to mark an occasion or offer support in a time of need. He was always looking for opportunities to serve. It brought him joy to care for others. If you visited his home, the first thing he would do is offer you a drink, a snack, and he always made sure you knew about the various new candies he had stashed in dishes all over the house. He had an undeniable sweet tooth and loved to indulge with those around him. His hospitality is one of the things we will miss most, but we know it will live on through his children.

David is a humble man who lived a humble life, but we know he wouldn't have changed it for the world. Where others may value wealth or status, David valued hard work, service to others, love for his family, and the power of faith. As painful as his physical departure from this world has been, we are uplifted in the knowledge that through the Plan of Salvation, our eternal family will be made whole.

David is survived by his beloved wife & eternal companion Susan Darbyshire Burt; his seven children Hannah Hoffman (Vic), Jacob Burt (Crystal), Rebecca Fetterman (Chis), Emma Stevens (David), Jordan Burt (Eli), Daniel Burt, and Abby Felix (Michael). His grandchildren Hayden, Zoey, Liam, Spencer, Rachel, Olivia. His siblings Jeff Burt (Claudette), Melody Burt (Carlin), and Jenine Mahelona, and many nieces and nephews. He was welcomed to his eternal home by his dear mother Louise Burt, his father Boyd Burt, his grandparents Will and Helen Burt, and his brother-in-law Kevin Mahelona.

Services will be held at the LDS Meetinghouse located at 4310 S. 3200 W. West Valley City, Utah 84119. There will be a public viewing on Friday September 15th from 6:00 to 8:00pm. A final viewing will be on Saturday September 16th from 9:30 to 10:45am. The funeral service will begin at 11:00am. Burial will take place at Valley View Memorial Park (4335 W. 4100 S. West Valley City, Utah) following the service.

Those wishing to LiveStram the service may do so by clicking the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwwh2vtEW38 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a nature charity or the LDS Church Mission fund in David's memory. And remember to always take the opportunity to tell those around you how much you love them. We love you forever, Dad!