Stan was born in Hamilton, Ontario as the only son of Stanley George and Elizabeth (Ashcroft) Burditt. His grandparents were Salvation Army officers in the late 1800s where his   grandmother served as a slum officer in east London. He was dedicated in the Hamilton 3 Corps which is now the Burlington Corps.

Stan’s instrumental preference is the cornet and he was taught by his father and further developed by an uncle who was the Corps Bandmaster at the time. After playing in both the junior and senior bands he, himself, was commissioned as Bandmaster in 1950.

He had a career with Canadian Westinghouse from 1942 to l959 when he responded to a call to officership. He and his wife Marjory entered the Training College in 1960 as cadets in the Soldiers of Christ session. Marjory Vietta Aspden had been his teen-age sweetheart from his home corps. They celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary last July. Their union has resulted in four sons; Stan, Gary, Rob, Don and a daughter Nancy. They are grandparents to thirteen children and great grandparents to seven. Word is out that two more ‘greats’ are on the way.

Now back to their officership: In 1961 they were appointed as Cadet-Lieutenants to the Woodbine corps in the Toronto Division. Fort Erie, St. Thomas, Sault Ste. Marie and Windsor citadel corps appointments followed.  In 1978 the Burditts were transferred to the Golden West Centennial Lodge in Winnipeg as assistant Administrators moving up to Administrators in 1979. They were certainly fast learners.
In 1984 Stan was appointed as the Secretary for the Senior Citizen’s Department at Territorial Headquarters.

They concluded their officership as Divisional Secretaries for the Ontario Central Division in Belleville. Stan tells us that the most frustrating of all activities related to officership was in trying to complete the annual Red Shield campaigns.

For retirement they have settled in London, Ontario attending the London citadel corps. Stan played in the LCB for 13 years and became one of the founding members of Jubilee Brass in 1973.

Stan’s highlight in banding was the trip he took with the LCB to the UK which included participation in a festival at the Royal Albert Hall. This was like a dream come true after so many years of banding. Stan says that all down through the years banding has been a means of serving the Lord.
In terms of that banding he has served in many different bands including Barton street citadel, Hamilton, Fort Erie, St. Thomas, Sault Ste Marie, Windsor citadel, Winnipeg citadel, North Toronto citadel, Belleville citadel as well as the aforementioned London citadel band and Jubilee Brass.

Stan has also served with distinction in music camps in the Hamilton, London and Northern Ontario divisions.
In his own words Stan says that,” I praise and thank the Lord for every opportunity He gave me to serve and to share fellowship with those of kindred spirits”.
Stan remembers a most memorable incident in his lifetime when he was able to witness the flight of the Avro Arrow and hear it break the sound barrier. He is probably one of few living souls who can say that.