Our beloved John Danke passed away very suddenly on Wednesday night, December 30. He was at St. Patrick's Church practicing late that evening, and collapsed. He was discovered the next morning by the church staff. We all share a profound sense of loss. John was the kindest, most generous person imaginable, and the hole his passing leaves in our lives will be impossible to fill. I don't know what we will do without the music that he brought into our lives.
A funeral mass for John will be held on Saturday, January 23, at Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside. There will be a musical prelude, featuring some of John's favorite music, at 9:30 a.m., and the Mass will begin at 10:00. He will be interred at the Mission at the conclusion of the Mass. Following the burial, there will be a short reception in the Parish Center, where John's friends can gather for refreshments and fellowship.
This memorial page was created as a place for all of John's friends to share their thoughts, tributes and stories. Please contribute whatever you would like. Photos of our notoriously shy friend are most welcome!
Tributes
Leave a tributeThis from a very grateful Marcia.
We miss you..
And...
Just like you recommended...
Thank God we started going to Saint Patrick's
I just remembered that today is my papa's BIRTHDAY..
You both must be playing to our Lord in heaven...
Although I am no longer able to visit your grave as I now live in Tucson, I can be quite certain when I say that all of us who knew you will miss you forever. Yes, the initial shock and grief at your passing have eased a bit. I spent a couple of hours today, your birthday, at volunteer training for the Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter which I know would have pleased you. Be happy wherever you are, my treasured John.
Last night I left a recital rehearsal in Prescott where I live and thought how much better and easier this would have gone if we had John sitting at the piano.
John... I am missing your support and kindness and your gentle spirit blessed with incredible talent. You are a legend we will never forget.
I miss you John and will always remember your encouragement and how you made me a better singer. You are God's perfect child.
Patrick and I reminisced together this past Tuesday over lunch. We spoke of the void that may never be filled by other pianists in the San Diego area. After all, yours were big shoes to fill. Know that we will keep your light burning in our hearts here on earth…until we meet again.
We met in Palm Desert @ Silver Spur Mobile Manor. He played and I would listen. We talked around the pool.
We both became interested in solar energy back then & I even got him to ride a motorcycle. He purchased a 1974 XL 250. We would ride around in the desert on the other side of Hwy 74.
Looking back I know that I had one of those friends that you can count on just one hand.
How our lives go so quick. I will miss him. He was a very good and helpful person to everyone. I wish more people could be like John. It would truly be a better world.
Happy 66th birthday! We know you are home with the Lord rejoicing and happy. We miss you very much. Hello to our friend , Nolyn. We all had wonderful years of making music together. Concerts are not the same without the two of you.
what a great person was John Danke.
Beautiful John. You had so many sides of you, just a like a shiny prism. Serious (I heard!) and so talented and humble. I considered you a brother (that I would have wanted if I could have requested a brother - family is sent from "Central Casting" -it is what it is!) you were wise and kind and dear and believed in me and supported my fantasy of being a singer without making me feel foolish. I think of you often and still want to pick up the phone and call you when I hear a song I would like to re-create with you.
Heaven is so lucky to have you to work with the choir of angels. But most important is your rest. Finally! And that your spirit lives on in all of us like a light shining in the night in our souls. Blessings.
Thank you for your service and music. You are one dedicated servant till the end. We will missed you but you will be in our hearts forever. Now, you will be playing for with our Lord
You will be so sadly missed. I always looked forward to your greeting when I was there at St.Marks..Rest in Peace.
May your soul rest in peace.
You devoted your life to serving others.
You cared neither for money nor fame but for kindling that inner flame.
That flame that flickers in the wind and engulfs us from within.
Inspiring us to do more, be more, and achieve more.
And though winds may toss, twirl, and turn us, you always steered me in the right direction.
The direction of my dreams.
You taught me to keep my feet firm on the ground but my sight high up in the sky.
Far away from all the pain and suffering of the world.
A world you filled with happiness and joy.
You lightened up my world and set it all aglow with standing ovations and roaring applause.
And yet to you I ask: Why the sudden pause?
What’s the hidden cause?
Where is the applause?
No time for frustration, sadness, or negation.
It is time for this to come to pass.
To face the shadows of my past.
Alas, you are not dead.
It is not as they have said.
Your music continues to reverberate through the halls and walls of places where you played.
The places where you stayed.
The faces that you met.
Captured on vignette?
Captured by the soul.
Opera houses and concert halls. Churches and cathedrals.
To you there is no equal.
And so rather than one last adieu I give to you an ode.
‘Til we meet again my dear old friend.
-Tony
Dear God,
My friend John Danke is now with you. I know that he will be playing his wonderful music in first row for you now. Here things are really very sad without him, he left a place in our hearts that will be only filled if we can deposit the huge love he delivered to each and every one of us.
Dear John, you will never die in our hearts because you will be here always. Your music will follow us as the wind, as it did yesterday, as today and as tomorrow, till guided by its beautiful sound we shall meet again.
With all my love and eternal gratitude.
Nadya…
He also played at my wedding. It was so beautiful. He is such a sweet man with a kind heart!! My prayers go out to all that have known this wonderful man with a god given gift that gave us so much light.
I am thankful that I got to work with John several times at Mira Costa. It was so fun! He will be tremendously missed!
Leave a Tribute
Pamela Scott, do not blame yourself, John went home to be with the Lord because he had a blockage . If was bound to happen anytime , anywhere. The good Lord called him and it was time .
We love you John!
I am still missing you and so sad you did not do as I asked that Wednesday night. After you played our service at the Christian Science church in Poway I saw how tired you looked and asked you to go right home and get some rest. You insisted that you needed to practice at St Patrick's. I said no you didn't because you were good enough and needed to take care of yourself first. I made you promise that you would at least get something to eat because you had not eaten all day. You said you would, but I have a feeling you didn't. Your passing was needless and the rest of us miss you terribly. I wish I had followed you to St. Patrick's and made sure you had eaten something. I partly blame myself for your passing because I saw how weary you looked and didn't follow you to St. Patrick's.
You are such a marvelous musician I hope you are playing wherever you are. The world and especially San Diego County is missing you so much. My dear precious friend I love you and know that God loves you too and is caring for you. I still have the practice tape you made for me to practice my solos. I love listening to you play and never tire of it. I shall never forget you.
Oh, and this year you would love my Christmas tree it has many instruments on it along with my purple treble clef. It has my harps, my angels a beautiful cello I found along with a banjo and violin. When I decorated it, I thought of you every time I put an angel or instrument on the tree. You have blessed so many lives and we all love and miss you so much. God Bless you my dear friend.
Do you know that song?
John and I both shared a passion for performing different genres of music. Jazz, Blues, Rock, Musical Theater, Pop and Opera. And of course Burt Bacharach who we thought was in a league of his own.
He would bring me boxes of music and say "I just thought I'd introduce you to some of my favorite songs". As he'd start to say the title - I'd start singing it from the other side of the room. It got to the point that he'd go out of his way to find a song I didn't know. When I'd ask him about a song - he'd not only know it, he'd have the music on my porch within days. When I ventured into Opera, (such a novice) he introduced me to the most beautiful arias. Once he knew your voice he would bestow gifts of beautiful music to you. He'd say, "I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop this off to you - thought of you when I ran accross it - can I play it for you, I've got a few extra minutes before my next Mass". He was so generous!
He loved my brownies, my dog and when my kids were young - he really loved their Hermit Crabs.
I praise God for knowing and loving John. He was my friend, kindred spirit and accompanist for most of my work on the west coast. There will never be another like John!
Be Still And Know that I'm with You
....
And when you go through the valley
And the shadow comes down from the hill
If morning never comes to be
Be still, be still, be still
If you forget the way to go
And lose where you came from
If no one is standing beside you
Be still and know I am.
....
Be Still by The Frey
This was the last song John and I presented at the PopOpera Soiree in November. We got together to rehearse something for the January PopOpera but time got away from us and I figured we'd get together one more time before the Soiree. Not to be. John was not only a wonderful musician but a dear friend to me and so many. I would come to the Pacific Beach Women's Club to rehearse something and would end up talking about life and people and dogs for over an hour. Finally, both of us to tired to work, we would just sing something for fun and I'd ger him to sometimes sing a part with me. It was a wonderful time rehearsal or no rehearsal. What a tragic loss to my life and everyone else. Belssings, Dear John.