James Lutz
At the age of 67, Jim went to sleep like any other day and woke up in the presence of the Lord on January 31, 2018. He was born and raised in Morris, IL and a resident of Mazon, IL for the past 27 years. Jim was a graduate of Morris Community High School Class of 1969. He retired as the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director in 2014 after spending 34 years on the job. He got his start with the County in 1969 as a volunteer supervisor of the County's weather program and became Deputy Director of the EMA Department in 1980 and was promoted to Director in 1984.
Preceded by his father, Frank Lutz, Jr. (2017) and his mother, Beverly (nee Scott) Lutz (2015); one sister, Katherine Ann Mallcheck and his father in-law, Neil Janssen.
Survived by his loving and devoted wife of 28 years, Brenda A. (nee Janssen) Lutz of Mazon; one son, Christopher (Erin) Lutz of Olathe, Kansas; two daughters, Kimberly (Mark) Malone of Naperville and Magen Lutz of Joliet; five grandchildren, Ava and Landen Lutz and Marissa, Marla and McKenna Malone; two sisters, Mary (Charles) Sparrow of Mazon and Elizabeth Ann "Lisa" (Lon) Vernnon of Junction City, KS; his mother-in-law, Anna Janssen of Shorewood, his three brothers-in-law, John Janssen of Palm Beach Gardens FL; Doug Janssen of Channahon and Phil (Dawn) Janssen of Dingsman Ferry, PA.; one sister-in-law, Michelle (Mike Kirkland) Janssen of Pittsburg MO; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.
Jim's love for life and willingness to give back to the community will always be remembered.
Funeral services for James E. Lutz will be held on be Friday, February 9, 2018, at 8 p.m. at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 1201 W. Route 6 at Deerpath Drive, Morris.
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Former Grundy EMA Director dies
Former Grundy County Emergency Management Agency Director Jim Lutz died Wednesday, one day before the seven-year anniversary of the great blizzard of 2011, for which he prepared the community and helped them through it.
Lutz served as EMA director for 34 years before retiring in 2014. He served as deputy director for four years prior to that.
Joe Schroeder was deputy director under Lutz for five years and has been director since Lutz's retirement.
"He was a dedicated public servant," Schroeder said of Lutz. "He was very knowledgeable, a good leader, and he was a great mentor to me. . . He was a great asset and an all-around people person."
The Grundy County EMA is responsible for coordinating emergency and disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
In February 2011, the area was socked with such a strong blizzard that even the county's heavy snow plows couldn't even get through. One plow even ended up in a ditch off Route 47 near Mazon.
Lutz led efforts to prepare for that storm, get the community through it and recover from it. He also helped organize the Blizzard Task Force in 2013 – now called the Grundy County Emergency Task force - that put plans in place to better deal with such storms in the future.
Lutz's plans are still in place, Schroeder said.
"A lot of the programs Jim developed remain today," he said, "and even the new programs are built on the foundations of his programs."
Running the EMA was not an easy task, either, Schroeder explained. Grundy is the only county in the nation that must deal with three nuclear emergency planning zones, which involve developing plans for accidents and keeping them up to date.
Lutz developed a passion for climatology early in life and even ran his own weather station at his home.
He leaves behind his wife, Brenda, three children and grandchildren. Funeral arrangements will be through Fred C. Dames Morris Chapel.
Published: Morris Herald News - February 3, 2018
At the age of 67, Jim went to sleep like any other day and woke up in the presence of the Lord on January 31, 2018. He was born and raised in Morris, IL and a resident of Mazon, IL for the past 27 years. Jim was a graduate of Morris Community High School Class of 1969. He retired as the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director in 2014 after spending 34 years on the job. He got his start with the County in 1969 as a volunteer supervisor of the County's weather program and became Deputy Director of the EMA Department in 1980 and was promoted to Director in 1984.
Preceded by his father, Frank Lutz, Jr. (2017) and his mother, Beverly (nee Scott) Lutz (2015); one sister, Katherine Ann Mallcheck and his father in-law, Neil Janssen.
Survived by his loving and devoted wife of 28 years, Brenda A. (nee Janssen) Lutz of Mazon; one son, Christopher (Erin) Lutz of Olathe, Kansas; two daughters, Kimberly (Mark) Malone of Naperville and Magen Lutz of Joliet; five grandchildren, Ava and Landen Lutz and Marissa, Marla and McKenna Malone; two sisters, Mary (Charles) Sparrow of Mazon and Elizabeth Ann "Lisa" (Lon) Vernnon of Junction City, KS; his mother-in-law, Anna Janssen of Shorewood, his three brothers-in-law, John Janssen of Palm Beach Gardens FL; Doug Janssen of Channahon and Phil (Dawn) Janssen of Dingsman Ferry, PA.; one sister-in-law, Michelle (Mike Kirkland) Janssen of Pittsburg MO; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.
Jim's love for life and willingness to give back to the community will always be remembered.
Funeral services for James E. Lutz will be held on be Friday, February 9, 2018, at 8 p.m. at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 1201 W. Route 6 at Deerpath Drive, Morris.
**********
Former Grundy EMA Director dies
Former Grundy County Emergency Management Agency Director Jim Lutz died Wednesday, one day before the seven-year anniversary of the great blizzard of 2011, for which he prepared the community and helped them through it.
Lutz served as EMA director for 34 years before retiring in 2014. He served as deputy director for four years prior to that.
Joe Schroeder was deputy director under Lutz for five years and has been director since Lutz's retirement.
"He was a dedicated public servant," Schroeder said of Lutz. "He was very knowledgeable, a good leader, and he was a great mentor to me. . . He was a great asset and an all-around people person."
The Grundy County EMA is responsible for coordinating emergency and disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
In February 2011, the area was socked with such a strong blizzard that even the county's heavy snow plows couldn't even get through. One plow even ended up in a ditch off Route 47 near Mazon.
Lutz led efforts to prepare for that storm, get the community through it and recover from it. He also helped organize the Blizzard Task Force in 2013 – now called the Grundy County Emergency Task force - that put plans in place to better deal with such storms in the future.
Lutz's plans are still in place, Schroeder said.
"A lot of the programs Jim developed remain today," he said, "and even the new programs are built on the foundations of his programs."
Running the EMA was not an easy task, either, Schroeder explained. Grundy is the only county in the nation that must deal with three nuclear emergency planning zones, which involve developing plans for accidents and keeping them up to date.
Lutz developed a passion for climatology early in life and even ran his own weather station at his home.
He leaves behind his wife, Brenda, three children and grandchildren. Funeral arrangements will be through Fred C. Dames Morris Chapel.
Published: Morris Herald News - February 3, 2018
James Lutz
At the age of 67, Jim went to sleep like any other day and woke up in the presence of the Lord on January 31, 2018. He was born and raised in Morris, IL and a resident of Mazon, IL for the past 27 years. Jim was a graduate of Morris Community High School Class of 1969. He retired as the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director in 2014 after spending 34 years on the job. He got his start with the County in 1969 as a volunteer supervisor of the County's weather program and became Deputy Director of the EMA Department in 1980 and was promoted to Director in 1984.
Preceded by his father, Frank Lutz, Jr. (2017) and his mother, Beverly (nee Scott) Lutz (2015); one sister, Katherine Ann Mallcheck and his father in-law, Neil Janssen.
Survived by his loving and devoted wife of 28 years, Brenda A. (nee Janssen) Lutz of Mazon; one son, Christopher (Erin) Lutz of Olathe, Kansas; two daughters, Kimberly (Mark) Malone of Naperville and Magen Lutz of Joliet; five grandchildren, Ava and Landen Lutz and Marissa, Marla and McKenna Malone; two sisters, Mary (Charles) Sparrow of Mazon and Elizabeth Ann "Lisa" (Lon) Vernnon of Junction City, KS; his mother-in-law, Anna Janssen of Shorewood, his three brothers-in-law, John Janssen of Palm Beach Gardens FL; Doug Janssen of Channahon and Phil (Dawn) Janssen of Dingsman Ferry, PA.; one sister-in-law, Michelle (Mike Kirkland) Janssen of Pittsburg MO; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.
Jim's love for life and willingness to give back to the community will always be remembered.
Funeral services for James E. Lutz will be held on be Friday, February 9, 2018, at 8 p.m. at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 1201 W. Route 6 at Deerpath Drive, Morris.
**********
Former Grundy EMA Director dies
Former Grundy County Emergency Management Agency Director Jim Lutz died Wednesday, one day before the seven-year anniversary of the great blizzard of 2011, for which he prepared the community and helped them through it.
Lutz served as EMA director for 34 years before retiring in 2014. He served as deputy director for four years prior to that.
Joe Schroeder was deputy director under Lutz for five years and has been director since Lutz's retirement.
"He was a dedicated public servant," Schroeder said of Lutz. "He was very knowledgeable, a good leader, and he was a great mentor to me. . . He was a great asset and an all-around people person."
The Grundy County EMA is responsible for coordinating emergency and disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
In February 2011, the area was socked with such a strong blizzard that even the county's heavy snow plows couldn't even get through. One plow even ended up in a ditch off Route 47 near Mazon.
Lutz led efforts to prepare for that storm, get the community through it and recover from it. He also helped organize the Blizzard Task Force in 2013 – now called the Grundy County Emergency Task force - that put plans in place to better deal with such storms in the future.
Lutz's plans are still in place, Schroeder said.
"A lot of the programs Jim developed remain today," he said, "and even the new programs are built on the foundations of his programs."
Running the EMA was not an easy task, either, Schroeder explained. Grundy is the only county in the nation that must deal with three nuclear emergency planning zones, which involve developing plans for accidents and keeping them up to date.
Lutz developed a passion for climatology early in life and even ran his own weather station at his home.
He leaves behind his wife, Brenda, three children and grandchildren. Funeral arrangements will be through Fred C. Dames Morris Chapel.
Published: Morris Herald News - February 3, 2018
At the age of 67, Jim went to sleep like any other day and woke up in the presence of the Lord on January 31, 2018. He was born and raised in Morris, IL and a resident of Mazon, IL for the past 27 years. Jim was a graduate of Morris Community High School Class of 1969. He retired as the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director in 2014 after spending 34 years on the job. He got his start with the County in 1969 as a volunteer supervisor of the County's weather program and became Deputy Director of the EMA Department in 1980 and was promoted to Director in 1984.
Preceded by his father, Frank Lutz, Jr. (2017) and his mother, Beverly (nee Scott) Lutz (2015); one sister, Katherine Ann Mallcheck and his father in-law, Neil Janssen.
Survived by his loving and devoted wife of 28 years, Brenda A. (nee Janssen) Lutz of Mazon; one son, Christopher (Erin) Lutz of Olathe, Kansas; two daughters, Kimberly (Mark) Malone of Naperville and Magen Lutz of Joliet; five grandchildren, Ava and Landen Lutz and Marissa, Marla and McKenna Malone; two sisters, Mary (Charles) Sparrow of Mazon and Elizabeth Ann "Lisa" (Lon) Vernnon of Junction City, KS; his mother-in-law, Anna Janssen of Shorewood, his three brothers-in-law, John Janssen of Palm Beach Gardens FL; Doug Janssen of Channahon and Phil (Dawn) Janssen of Dingsman Ferry, PA.; one sister-in-law, Michelle (Mike Kirkland) Janssen of Pittsburg MO; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.
Jim's love for life and willingness to give back to the community will always be remembered.
Funeral services for James E. Lutz will be held on be Friday, February 9, 2018, at 8 p.m. at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 1201 W. Route 6 at Deerpath Drive, Morris.
**********
Former Grundy EMA Director dies
Former Grundy County Emergency Management Agency Director Jim Lutz died Wednesday, one day before the seven-year anniversary of the great blizzard of 2011, for which he prepared the community and helped them through it.
Lutz served as EMA director for 34 years before retiring in 2014. He served as deputy director for four years prior to that.
Joe Schroeder was deputy director under Lutz for five years and has been director since Lutz's retirement.
"He was a dedicated public servant," Schroeder said of Lutz. "He was very knowledgeable, a good leader, and he was a great mentor to me. . . He was a great asset and an all-around people person."
The Grundy County EMA is responsible for coordinating emergency and disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
In February 2011, the area was socked with such a strong blizzard that even the county's heavy snow plows couldn't even get through. One plow even ended up in a ditch off Route 47 near Mazon.
Lutz led efforts to prepare for that storm, get the community through it and recover from it. He also helped organize the Blizzard Task Force in 2013 – now called the Grundy County Emergency Task force - that put plans in place to better deal with such storms in the future.
Lutz's plans are still in place, Schroeder said.
"A lot of the programs Jim developed remain today," he said, "and even the new programs are built on the foundations of his programs."
Running the EMA was not an easy task, either, Schroeder explained. Grundy is the only county in the nation that must deal with three nuclear emergency planning zones, which involve developing plans for accidents and keeping them up to date.
Lutz developed a passion for climatology early in life and even ran his own weather station at his home.
He leaves behind his wife, Brenda, three children and grandchildren. Funeral arrangements will be through Fred C. Dames Morris Chapel.
Published: Morris Herald News - February 3, 2018
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