Walter Carl ‘Pete’ Bieritz, 88,
Yorkville, Ill., passed away April 11, 2001. He was born Sept. 19,
1912, in Yorkville, one of 12 children of Herman Sr. and Wilhelmine
‘Minnie’ (Freise) Bieritz.
Pete married the former Elorn Julia Batorson on Sept. 23, 1939.
He was a 1931 graduate of Yorkville High School, and in his younger
years enjoyed raising chickens. Pete had fond memories of threshing
on his father’s farm, and his hobbies included antique tractors
and model railroading.
He was a dedicated antique tractor and steam enthusiast and
enjoyed attending the shows at Pontiac, Ill., and Rollag, Minn. In
the 1960s he had four different models of the Case Cross-Mount
series, and also had several Sandwich stationary engines. At the
time of his retirement he had been employed for over 19 years at
the Caterpillar Corporation in Montgomery, Ill., as a tool and die
maker.
He is survived by his wife, Elorn; his sons, David W. Bieritz of
Sterling, Va., and Gerald L. Bieritz of Tyler, Texas; and several
nieces and nephews.
Submitted by David W. Bieritz, Sterling, Va.
Captain John Leonard, 77, St. Catherines,
Ontario, Canada, passed away May 9, 2001. Born in Toronto, he had a
career in the Royal Canadian Navy during WW II and later as a Great
Lakes mate and captain.
A master mariner since 1953, he was once shipwrecked in a Lake
Superior tragedy, and he was also anchored nearby in 1975 when the
Edmund Fitzgerald sank in a Lake Superior gale, killing its crew of
29.
Leonard had numerous interests, including steam engines. He once
owned a George White rear-mount engine and enjoyed attending steam
shows in Canada and the U.S., particularly the Mt. Pleasant, Iowa,
show.
He is survived by his wife, Pauline, as well as four sisters and
numerous nieces, nephews and cousins in the U.S. and Canada.
Submitted by Pauline Leonard, St. Catherines, Ontario,
Canada.
