The Compass Spring 2019 | Page 6

David Burgher reminisces about his 28-year career at Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation as he moves on to the next chapter in his life—retirement. FOUNDATION PROFILE David Burgher: A Heart for Serving Others David and Nancy Burgher or David, reaching out to the and friends who were in the hospital and Dr. Burgher said. “He taught us to stay the patients and families at the provided support by praying with them, course, to remain faithful to our own and to hospital was more than a job. offering a Baylor six-pack of water and the Lord, to persevere, to wait on the Lord leaving them with parking passes. and to trust our provider and protector.” He considered it his calling. Helping others has been David’s Nancy, David’s wife, said that he went Below is part of a letter from son passion since his first job as a water boy at from being his father’s water boy to God’s to father during Dr. Burgher’s last his father’s construction company. After water boy. deployment in 2016: serving as a pilot in the Air Force, David “David treated his job as a godly “Dad, I love that the Lord in His good- was vice president of a family-owned mission in terms of helping people when ness has placed you at Baylor for insurance company and moved on to an they were most vulnerable, and he did these many years. I’m frequently agency where he helped people manage it with a lot of humility and grace,” said approached by patients, family charitable giving. Through community Robin. “Beautiful, handwritten thank you members or friends of patients whom volunteering on boards such as Young Life, letters from the patients David touched you’ve touched with the Lord’s grace. David crossed paths with Boone Powell Jr., were shared with me every month.” You’ve inspired me since I was little. former CEO of Baylor Health Care System, A desire to help others runs in the who saw his success in raising money and family. David’s son, Stephen Burgher, MD, asked him to join Baylor. “At the time I didn’t think it would be the place for me, but after the third call I thought maybe God was trying to tell me something,” David recalled. It turns out the job was a perfect fit. As special assistant to the “Who my dad is and how he has lived his life is what has most influenced my life.” — Dr. Stephen Burgher president, most of David’s freedom to find our way and figure out is an emergency our own vocation. You provided the medicine physician. means, the example and the safety Dr. Burgher said when net, and you let us fly.” his dad would visit the Emergency Depart- Lindalyn Adams, who has known ment it always made David since high school and worked at the him proud, especially Foundation with him for 17 years, said that how all the nurses and David is like a brother to her and he leaves staff respected and big shoes to fill. loved him so much. He describes time was spent walking Thank you for giving each of us the his dad as a man of “David has such a calming presence and is a man of the Lord,” Lindalyn said. “I can’t explain how much it meant to the the halls of the hospital, fulfilling Baylor integrity and a man of prayer who is patients when he prayed for them. We Scott & White Health’s mission. steady, faithful, loyal, trustworthy and have all been richly blessed in knowing one who will do what he says, no matter David and his wonderful family.” Foundation president, Rowland K. “Robin” Robinson, called him the “PWP” or “Prayer, Water & Parking Pass” man. David found Baylor Scott & White supporters 6 THE COMPASS / BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE FOUNDATION NEWS / SPRING 2019 the cost or timeline. “Who my dad is and how he has lived his life is what has most influenced my life,” The Foundation is grateful for David’s 28 years of service, and wishes him a happy and fulfilling retirement.