Burtis Anthony 'Burt' Naas
Burtis Anthony "Burt" Naas, 83, born Feb. 4, 1935, on a farm outside Ridgway, IL, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2018, surrounded by his loving family.
Burt served his country in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1963. He was a member of St. Kateri Catholic Church (formerly St. Joseph) and the L.A. Lambert Council Knights of Columbus. He was a charter member of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, a member of Plumbers & Pipefitters Local #551 and American Legion Post #596.
He was a licensed plumber in the city of Chicago for 62 years, was a former employee of the Sahara Coal Company, and worked in the Maintenance Department of Martin & Bayley (Huck's) proudly for 24 years, until May 2018.
Spending time with his four grandkids was one of Burt's favorite pastimes. He loved making memories and sharing stories with his family and friends, gardening and growing the world's best tomatoes, solving plumbing problems for anyone in need of his services, sharing his sense of humor freely with all he met, watching western movies, the Cardinals and other sports on TV, and keeping his trucks sparkling clean
After his beloved St. Joseph Church was leveled by the Leap Day tornado of 2012, Burt was very honored to be the plumbing contractor when the new St. Kateri Catholic Church was constructed in 2015.
Burt is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sue (Schmitt); two daughters, Nancy (Joe) Harmon and Sally (Heinz) Rudolf; and four grandchildren, Sam and Ben Harmon, Gretchen and Anna Rudolf, all of Belleville, Illinois.
He is also survived by one brother, Charles (Pat) Naas, sister-in-law Mary Beth Naas and many nieces, nephews, and Schmitt in-laws.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John G. and Anna T. (DeVous) Naas; brothers Lawrence, Cedric, Victor, James and Gregory; and sisters Mary Agnes Wargel, Delores Wargel, Madonna Wesensten, and Alice Maloney.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Kateri Catholic Church, P.O. Box 190, Ridgway, IL, 62979.
Family and friends may visit at St. Kateri Catholic Church, Ridgway, from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 29, with a prayer service at 3:45 p.m. Visitation continues from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 30.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Kateri Catholic Church at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 30, with Fr. Steven Beatty and Msgr. Joe Lawler officiating, followed by burial with military honors at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Ridgway.
Cox & Son Funeral Home in Ridgway is entrusted with arrangements. Friends can leave a note of comfort to the family at www.coxandson.com.