Wilburt Burt TETZLAFF

7 JAN 1944 - MAR 2021

• BIRTH: 7 JAN 1944, South Bend, St Joseph, IN
• DEATH: MAR 2021, South Bend, St Joseph, IN

INDEX

[N28124] Wilburt "Burt" Tertzlaff
1944 - 2021

The loving soul of Wilburt (“Burt”) Tetzlaff, born January 7, 1944 to Harry and Daisy Tetzlaff of South Bend, Indiana, left his earthly body at Saint Joseph Medical Center with his daughter and wife by his side. He was preceded in death by his parents, multiple brothers and sisters/their spouses, and his first daughter (Heather Tetzlaff Smith). He is survived by his wife (Deb), his daughter (Hillary Beck), and three grandchildren (Ezra Smith, Daisy Beck, and Pike Beck). Burt, being one of 14 children, is also survived by too many family members (brothers, sisters, in laws, nieces, and nephews) to list! Burt made many noteworthy accomplishments in his lifetime. He dutifully served in the U.S. Army and he was awarded a Purple Heart for his injuries and lifelong scars endured during his time in Vietnam. Burt began a career in construction at 18 years of age and went to work for Parkway Asphalt in 1963. In 1972, he went on to Reith Riley, where he remained until his retirement in 2003. He was a proud member of the Local 150 Operating Engineers Union for 57 years. Concurrent to his construction gig, Burt was an auctioneer and real estate broker for more than 35 years. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion Post 284, the VFW #369, and also the DAV. Burt will be remembered as probably the most dependable and capable husband, father, son, brother, grandfather, uncle, and friend many will ever know. He was always ready to lend a hand to anyone needing his assistance; whether that was helping on a home renovation/project, doing any necessary “heavy lifting”, removing snow or mowing grass for his many neighbors, or fixing something in a crisis. One need only ask and he would deliver! He was also known for his household inventions and for the way he could design, build, or jerry rig anything! He was methodical, meticulous, and thorough in everything he did. Additionally, if anyone ever needed a piece of hardware, a special tool/device, or any random whatnot-chances were good, he had it!
Burt truly embodied what it means to be gentle, hard-working, reliable, and humble. He lived a good, simple, and clean life without drama or complication. He was a man of routine and structure, with a morning wake up well before the sunrise to read the morning paper and sip a freshly brewed cup of coffee he surely set up the night before. He often joked that he was “just like the Army”, doing more before 9:00 am than most people do all day! This amazing man beat the medical odds after being diagnosed in 2012 with MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome), which was related to his exposure to the toxin Agent Orange during his service in the Vietnam conflict. He opted against aggressive treatments in favor of more quality time with family and he remained extremely active in his daily life; such as making sure Deb had everything she needed, doting over his daughters, watching over and teaching his grandkids, shopping for all the deals in town, keeping the house and lawn immaculate, gardening, tinkering around in his garage, golfing, gambling at the casinos, or playing cards with his friends and family. His physicians tended to marvel at how well he was always doing and how functional he remained, despite his diagnosis and the 18-month to three-year prognosis that came with it. He climbed a ladder and hung a tree swing for his grandchildren just one week before passing away. Of all the struggles and suffering Burt endured, his family is extremely grateful to never have seen him in a debilitated state and in knowing he will never have to be subjected to the pain of seeing anyone else perform his snow removal or maintaining his lawn!
At this time, the family has deferred services due to the pandemic. A celebration of life may be scheduled at a later, more safe time. Memorial contributions may be made to the DAV: https://secure.dav.org/site/Donation. Palmer Funeral Home - Guisinger Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences for the family may be made at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.