John Burt

Although feisty, strong, and stubborn, John Burt had a love for family that was without end. And when he loved, he loved deeply. John was a "dig in your heels" type of man, and when he put his mind to something, there was no turning back. He was hard working and had a love for the outdoors. Ever dedicated, there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for those he loved and cared about. For these things and so much more, John will be remembered and forever missed.

John's story began in the midst of quite a turning point in the U.S. By 1966, nearly 500,000 American troops were fighting in the jungles of Vietnam while the war itself and numerous anti-war demonstrations and peace rallies being held all over the nation made daily headlines. It was also the year Batman and Star Trek made their television debuts while color TV sets were gaining more and more popularity. A time of Hot Wheels and Twister, the infamous mini-skirt and vinyl wardrobes were the cool thing to wear, and the introduction of Pampers disposable diapers brought welcome relief to mothers everywhere. This was especially true for Wally and Marlys (Thompson) Burt when on July 5, 1966, the birth of their adopted son, John brought much joy to their lives.

John was raised in the riverfront city of Yankton, South Dakota. As a kid he raised rabbits, and even house trained them. Along with attending the local schools, he also liked assembling and flying model airplanes. He grew up with his sister, Jennie who nicknamed John, "J.G." John was really into music, especially 80's rock. KISS was his all-time favorite band and he had all of their records until Jennie broke them! During his youth he liked going to the National Guard Armory with his dad. John loved tanks and he even rode one in one of the local parades once. John also found his share of mischief, particularly in high school. At one point he actually locked one of his teachers in a space between the classrooms!

John's family moved often when he was young, and from a young age he became the caretaker for his mother when she became quite ill. Sadly, she passed away when John was merely 11 years old. John and his family then moved to Las Vegas, Nevada for a time before he eventually made his way back to Yankton. During this time, John became well traveled in his youth. He spent some time in Dover, Chatfield, Lanesboro, and his longest stay was in Spring Valley where he lived until the age of 17. He then moved back to Yankton.

After returning to Yankton, John met the love of his life, Tammi Durham. She was working at the Sunshine Grocery Store, and they instantly shared a mutual attraction. Before long they began dating, fell deeply in love, and were happily married at the Yankton City Hall on May 16, 1986. In the 1990's they moved back to the area to be near family. John had a strong desire to take care of everyone in his family. He worked hard as a bricklayer, and was a longtime member of the Bricklayers and Allied Craftsman International Union, having earned his journeyman status.

John loved fishing with Tammi and his sons, Jarred and Brent on the river. Great times were also shared with his sons hunting, and never far from John's side were his beloved dogs. In his free time, he also enjoyed gardening, canning, barbecuing, and smoking meats. He loved watching Jarred play football in high school and college. He was so proud of his boys. When it came to cars, he enjoyed and became quite good at fixing up old junkers. Boating on the Mississippi River in his Lund fishing boat always proved to be a great time for John. And tireless when it came to helping family or friend, for a while he lived near his good friend, John Case with whom he helped assemble his Rhino Linings.

John may have been quite stubborn, but when it came to matters of the heart and family, he was a teddy bear. He counted the best days of his life as the days his boys were born and the day he married Tammi. He took pride in his boat, and when Brent dented it, John was not very happy. Yet since Brent's death, John became very proud of that dent. He enjoyed watching NASCAR with Jarred, and the one thing they never argued about was that Dale Earnhart was their favorite driver! They also liked watching the Minnesota Vikings together.

With ways all his own, John added a little spice to each day. The "thumbs up" sign was his usual greeting, and "see ya later" was his goodbye, or "I love you" at the end of a phone call. Among others, "Gimme a beer", "Where's the remote?", "Where's my phone?", and "Get off my couch" were uttered daily by John. When expressing himself at what someone had done, "What the F... were you thinking?" often came to mind as well as, "This is a shit cake with shit icing."

Over the last two years, John began developing various health issues. Sadly, not much else could be done for him, but he was made as comfortable as possible. John found his faith in the last few months of his life which gave him much strength and peace. During this time he found comfort listening to Pastor Jeff Matteson of Rochester Christian Church online.

John Burt was his own man who lived life on his own terms. In the end, he relinquished all to his Lord and discovered the peace he had been searching for. A beloved man to those who knew and loved him best, John will be remembered for ways all his own and missed deeply.

John Burt, 50, of St. Charles died Friday morning, January 20th at Seasons Hospice in Rochester. Survivors include his son, Jarred Burt of St. Charles; his wife, Tammi; a sister, Jennie Underwood of England; and his father, Wally Burt of Plainview. John was preceded in death by his son, Brent on August 27, 2015.

Services to remember John will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 25th at Hoff Funeral and Cremation Service, led by funeral celebrant Jenny Hoff. Friends may call on Tuesday from 5- 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 10-11 a.m. at the funeral home. To share a favorite memory or photo of John, sign his online guest book and to view his video tribute when it becomes available, please visit www.hofffuneral.com.