Landracing Forum
Misc Forums => Health, Welfare, and Passings => Topic started by: Glen on December 08, 2009, 10:28:15 PM
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I just received word the Gene Burkland passed away this morning. He was a major player in LSR. This is a loss to all of us. I will post more as I get service information. RIP and God Speed Gene Burkland. You will be missed but never forgotten.
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That man was a pioneer. He was a major player.
Betty and Tom, I wish you the best.
FREUD
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Terrible news. God speed Gene. Our condolences to Betty and Tom.
Roger Lessman
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Gene will be missed, our condolences to Tom and Betty.
The Gullett family
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Godspeed Gene. Condolences to Betty and Tom. From the Studebaker thru the Datsun to the Streamliner great race cars came from Great Falls. His legacy will live forever in LSR. Larry
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Very sad news. God Speed Gene. My Condolences to Betty and Tom.
Tom G.
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God Speed Gene....
Tom & Betty, our heart felt sympathies.
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With all the sport has lost this year, maybe we need a new topic heading for LSR RACING IN HEAVEN.
I'll bet the salt is always good. My condolences to Betty and Tom, and may Gene and his woderfull tire testing machine rest in peace.................. Bob
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Sad News for sure. My prayers are with all the family especially Betty. God Speed Gene.
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A major loss to the LSR family. God Speed Gene. :cry:
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I am so sorry to hear this, I am in my hotel room in Florida and tears are in my eyes :cry:
Gene, Betty and Tom are some of the longest known racers Michelle and I know.
Tom, Betty, we are so sorry for your loss and you both are in our prayers.
So sorry to hear, all I can say...
John
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Landracers have lost a great person he will be where he can overlook everyone God speed and much sympathy to Betty and Tom
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Gene, I will miss you. God speed my old friend
Betty & Tom and the whole Burkland Family - my heart is with you
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Godspeed Gene. My condolences to the Burkland family.
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Betty Tom
I am saddened to hear of Gene’s passing. I feel honored to have known him.
Mike Akatiff
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God Speed, Gene
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condolences to betty, tom and their extended family.
franey
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To all the Burkland family my deepest condolences. Gene was the one who introduced me to Land Speed Racing back in 1995 at a carshow in Lethbridge, Alberta. After that he always had time to visit with me anytime I stopped by his shop in Great Falls and let me marvel at the wonders he was creating there. He helped shape my life in this sport, as I'm sure he had many others. A truly wonderful man and pure genius and pioneer to our community.....you will be missed by all Gene, Godspeed.
Curtis Halvorson
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A great memory -- Gene and his grandson in the converted Dodge push vehicle, getting Tom off to a running start in the family 'liner. Both Gene and the boy had HUGE smiles -- and I couldn't help but think of how great it would be to share a thrill like that with my Grandpa.
Nancy and I send our condolences and thoughts to the Burkland family and crew -- who will all, no doubt, be grieving over Gene's passing.
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My sincerest condolances to Betty and Tom. God speed Gene,RIP.
Fred
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I just received this and felt it appropriate to share with all of you:
Dear friends:
Yesterday afternoon, after a very long strugglewith his lung disease, Gene left our world. He just couldn't breathe any longer. I believe he is up there wherever old Bonneville racers congregate . . . swapping stories and watching over all of us left down here below.
Thank you all for the parts you have played in his (& my) life. He told me a few days ago "It's been a wonderful life . . . skidding to a stop isn't so bad."
I'll be in touch . . . and will hope see you all at the salt.
Betty Burkland
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My condolences Betty, Tom, and the rest of the Burkland Family. You will be in my thoughts and prayers, but mostly you will live in my heart.
Lynda
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My condolences to Burklands. Rest in peace Gene.
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condolences Betty and Tom
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Even with a pit full of the "big and famous"; Gene, Betty, and Tom always had time to welcome the "little guy" into their pit. . . . I will truly miss my friend......JD
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Here's another email I just received and will post:
To All,
I am sure maybe some of you heard that we lost a very huge hero - we just got a call that Gene Burkland past away early today....... very very devastating. Many thoughts & prayers go out to this fabulous family who have given us so many great memories for many years. Gene will be missed and for sure NOT FORGOTTEN.
God Speed My Dear Friend Gene........
Wishing you all the best throughout the holidays,
Gail & Ron Tesinsky
Gail also sent along this photo taken of Betty and Gene on their 50th wedding anniversary back in early November.
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Gene used a welder the way Heifetz used a Stradivarius; what he built, was built very well, something upon which you could rely. Indeed, rest your life upon. I witnessed such a moment when the driveshaft, which ran along the driver's legs and hips, got loose in the 411 streamliner during a World Record attempt. Son Tom got the beast stopped and had a few bruises from the twirling steel beating the life out of a one-inch plate covering it in the cockpit, stretching it and managing to rip slightly like you would a seam in your britches, but the welds held. That, my friends, is a testament of build quality; to have such talent that can provide such strength, such protection to a land speed racing vehicle. A gentle, sincere man, with a ready handshake and smile who loved his wife, his kids, his sport. How wonderfully blessed we were to have known him. -- LSL
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So sad to hear that news!
God speed and best wishes to the entire family as they deal with this loss!
Larry
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God Speed Gene. You have always been the best of friends and part of our family. We feel very fortunate to have known and been a part of your world! You were truly inspirational and a joy to work with. Sure going to miss the back-cracking-take-the-breath-out-of-you Bear Hugs! I hope the Salt is pearly white and always smooth in Heaven. Rest in peace, you deserve it.
Gary and Leah Stauffer
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godspeed, gene!
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Gene was not only a fierce and creative competitor but was a good man to his family and friends. A true ambassador to the sport.
Godspeed Gene.
Howard
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Our sincerest condolences to Betty and Tom.
You are in our prayers.
The Collier family.
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We wish Betty and Tom, and the entire Burkland family our deepest sym-
pathy and condolences Our thoughts and prayers are with Gene as he roars his way to heaven, spraying salt higher than man can see..our prayers are also with your loved ones as we all grieve the passing of a great man. Terry and Dawn Seaholm
Tacoma, Wa.
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Thoughts and prayers to the entire Burkland family...God Speed Gene.
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Been traveling and just read the news, God Speed Gene and condolences to the Burkland Family.
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I've just posted an obituary for Gene Burkland. It comes to us from the Great Falls (Montana) Tribune, to whom I give thanks and credit for it. It's on the home page of the site -- but I'll put it here, too, since many Forum members don't go to the home page.
"Cremation has taken place under the direction of Croxford Funeral Home and Crematory. His memorial service is 2 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church.
Gene left us on Dec. 8, 2009. We expect he's gone racing with his departed friends, or is beginning another great project.
Gene was born in Great Falls on Nov. 1, 1936, to Carl and Phyllis Burkland.
His brother Jack died in 2004, and his sister Bonnie Flanagan lives in Missoula. In 1959, he married Betty Hunter. They have two sons; Tom and his wife Linda and daughter Carly from Ogden, Utah, and Bill and his wife Barb and sons Nick and John from Clancy. Gene grew up in Great Falls, and graduated from Great Falls High School in 1954.
Gene began his career with the Montana Air National Guard in 1956 and worked there for nearly 30 years, welding everything from titanium aircraft parts to tricycles and red wagons. When he retired, he moved into race car production and welding/repair work at his home shop. His love affair with cars began in 1951, when he bought his first car for $7.50. After investing in a $10 piston, he was ready to roll!
During the 1960s, his was a familiar face at drag races across Montana, first with a 1932 Ford roadster, and then with a dragster. Classics Car Club, custom show cars, stock cars and dragsters grew into a Bonneville land speed racer produced and run with the assistance of hundreds of friends. In 1971, he took his home-built Studebaker and many friends to Bonneville for the annual Speed Week. He set a national record in 1978 at 255 mph, becoming the first Montanan in the exclusive Bonneville 200 MPH Club. His next car put his son Tom into the 200 MPH Club. Since 1986, Gene, Betty and Tom have been building and racing their streamliner. They set a National Speed Record in October 2004 at 417 mph and a World Speed Record in September of 2008 at 416 mph.
Gene's life revolved around the love of his family and the friends he accumulated through his skill and creativity in welding, his love of cars and curiosity about everything. He was a magnet who drew people to his garage and he had that stubborn streak needed to see an idea through to the end.
He began battling his lung disease in earnest in 1997. We're glad he's finally breathing easy, but we'll miss his ever-present smile.
In lieu of flowers, please bring or send your favorite picture of you and Gene to Croxford Funeral Home, 1307 Central Ave. Great Falls, MT 59401.
Donations can be made to "Save the Salt" c/o Russ Eyres, 3673 Millikin Ave., San Diego, CA 92122.
Condolences may be posted online at www.croxfordfuneralhome.com and/or www.gftribune.com/obituaries."
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Goodbye. Good memories. Good man!
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Gene was the best...a smiling, gentle, designer and builder and everyone's friend. He built three record setting Bonneville cars that are still capable of raising the bar. It was sad to hear this news, a true friend for many years...I will miss him.
From the early 1980s, Betty and I butted heads as competitors for a few years then the Datsun became Dan Webster's comp coupe. Gene's Stude was given a new home with Ron & Gail Tesinsky and the construction began on the Streamliner. It took years for the conditions to allow their goal to be accomplished. Gene's health continued to deteriorate for the last several years, but he did share the victory with Betty and Tom. What a blessing the family have been in my life. They are examples for all of us.
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Gene, Tom and Betty always made me feel welcome in their pit and on the race course even when it fell to me to make the tough calls. Professional, warm, talented, innovative, I could go on and on. I have learned so much from them not only in the technical application of the art and science of LSR but also how to become comfortable with all that is the family that is LSR. Tom continues to mentor all that seek his consul and in that vein the sport has lost one of its brightest guiding lights in Gene. Gene will be missed more that I can express in words…… God Speed….
Lee Kennedy, Technical Chairman, SCTA-BNI
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God Speed Gene....
While you are gone, our memories of you will live forever. I'm sure by now you have hooked up with Nolan, Don and Bob, and the 4 or you are coaching the others with advice on setting up a chassis for God's LSR challenge. You will be missed.
My condolences to Betty, Tom and the family.... our LSR family has lost another legend.
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Let us all strive to carry on the class and dedication that he has shown. Vio con dios Gene.
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Nice article on Speed TV web site
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/lsr-bonneville-hero-gene-burkland-passes-away/
Thanks for the inspiration Gene.
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From Hemmings
http://www.hemmings.com/newsletter/newsletter.html?volume=5&issue=28&id=2599&refer=news&emlid=172944#2599
Street Rods and Hot Rods
Land-speed icon Gene Burkland dies
Not many men have built cars capable of 400-plus MPH, and the world is now shorter one of those men.
Gene Burkland, famed land-speed racer, died last Tuesday of lung disease at the age of 73.
Based in Montana, Burkland first made his way to Bonneville in 1971 with his 1953 Studebaker coupe, and with that same car first entered the 200 MPH Club in 1978 with a record-setting run of 255.863 MPH. A 247 MPH Datsun came along in the 1980s, when his son Tom and wife Betty began their racing careers. Then, in 1986, Gene began construction of the Burkland Streamliner, a completely custom car built with the 400 MPH goal in mind.
Though he began battling lung disease in 1997, he, Tom and Betty were able to not only set the one-way record for a piston-drive car at 438.815 MPH in 2000, they were also able to set a national (two-way) speed record at 417 MPH in 2004 and the international Class 11 speed record at 416 MPH last year.
- By Daniel Strohl