The responses here are but a sampling of the lives Burt touched through 44 years as a journalist, mentor, friend and neighbor at The Daily News.

Throughout his career — including 35 as sports editor — Burt never took the trust or support of his readers for granted.

He worked day in, day out to gain it, often logging hours that would put a CEO to shame even during what he called, in recent years, “semi-retirement.”

Ironically, sometimes his workplace fun — the “ScuttleBu(r)t” columns of anecdotes, memories and chitchat — was best regarded of all.

(Paul Whitt photo) BURT ANGELI, HARD at work at a Goodman-Pembine basketball game.

Rest in peace, Burt.

Burt Angeli loved his job as sports editor of The Daily News, which is the reason he did it so well. Without a doubt, he was a dedicated professional, well respected by his fellow workers and peers alike. It was not uncommon to see his vehicle parked at the office late at night on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and even when he was on vacation. He took his job very seriously and performed at levels beyond expectations. He was the type of employee that, quite honestly, can never be replaced. He was an excellent employee and a great person. He will be missed by The Daily News, The Daily News staff as well as The Daily News readers. My sincere condolences to his wife, Gina, his entire family and his Daily News family.

— Bob Johnson, retired publisher, The Daily News

Burt Angeli and I worked together for less than two years. When I was leaving The Daily News, he shared six thoughtful paragraphs with readers, the first of which read: “You know the old adage about ‘Work hard and good things will come to you?’ It’s still true.” The fact he did that says a lot about the person he was.

The consummate small-town newspaperman, Burt was dedicated and true to his faithful readers, the athletes and sportsmen he covered and the community as a whole. Forty-plus years is a long time to do what he did. The profession will wear dedicated people down. The business will burn them out. But they also make some of the greatest friends in co-workers, peers, sources and readers.

(Daily News Photo) BURT ANGELI POSES for a Christmas photo with co-workers Terri Castelaz, Theresa Proudfit and Maggie Lanthier — or “Cookie,” “T” and “Dirty,” as he would fondly refer to them in the newsroom.

Burt and I traded messages occasionally in the decades since and we got the chance to work together one more time a few years ago when I was visiting. Well, he did the real work, I made some pictures and we gossiped and griped about the best job a person could have, because that’s what old newspaper guys do.

Although Burt is gone, his legacy, in memories and on little scraps of yellowing paper, serves as both a reminder of and a reward for all his hard work.

— Dave Kallmann, sports journalist, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

I worked closely with Burt from the day he succeeded John Wahlstrom at the Daily News, continuing a close Iron Mountain association I had already established with Ray Crandall, Ron Kramer, Blaine Hyska, Dick Ferris and Hap Rondeau. We worked some 50 miles apart but were together frequently, building our friendship at the U.P. track finals, All-U.P. meetings and various prep events we both covered.

Burt was a unique reporter and I always loved to razz him that his columns were like (Hollywood TV reporter) Rona Barrett, always about good gossip but always entertaining. He had a passion for local sports — as we all did in the Upper Peninsula — and was all over the Daily News coverage area like ants at a picnic lunch. He loved sports, loved the Daily News and loved his job. Burt was special and will always live in my memory along with Ray, Ron and Blaine and the others

— Dennis Grall, retired sports editor, Escanaba Daily Press

It is a sad time for many in light of the recent passing of Burt Angeli. Iron Mountain, Dickinson County, the U.P., northern Wisconsin and the sports world in general have lost a truly great sportswriter and a special person. Through his writing and his never-ending presence, he not only touched many lives, he cultivated a sense of pride in thousands of young athletes, coaches, fans, and the entire community.

My family and I are among those who owe Burt an immense debt of gratitude for making our community special. Allow me to share some memories.

In the early ’80s, as my brother Bill and I entered into our high school days, the importance of “ScuttleBu(r)t” began to emerge. Little did we know then how much he would end up impacting our entire family and sense of hometown pride in the future. Back then, Bill and I were blessed to be on some of the best football, basketball, and other teams in Iron Mountain history — with names like Bob Landsee, Nick Johnson, Jon Harry, Keith Houtari, Vince “Carter” Flaminio, Danny Bianco, Tim Danielson, Todd Penegor, Craig Allen, Bobby Mariucci, Jeff Harry, coaches Marv Harry, Rick Olds and Tom Wender, and so many more great players and coaches. And our cross-town rivals, the Kingsford Flivvers, were full of great athletes and coaches. The battles were epic. Burt would write his articles to both hype the seasons and games, especially the Iron Mountain-Kingsford rivalry, and then report on the outcomes. He did the same for all the local teams, proud of West Iron County, North Dickinson, North Central — you name it — as he did for those who came before us and for many years after us. Everybody just had to read what the “scuttle” was every day in Burt’s column in the Daily News. Burt would always refer to my brother, who was an outstanding running back and track star, as “Billy Joe Popp.” But apparently just calling me “Rick” didn’t sound as smooth to Burt, so he made up a stage name “Ricky Lee.” I have no clue where he got that, but I loved it! However, my stage name was short-lived as my dad, Sugar Popp, mentioned to Burt that my middle name was really Michael. So from that point on, I became Ricky Mike and it stuck for 40 years with Burt. Only “ScuttleBu(r)t” referred to me as Ricky Mike, and he did so consistently until he hung up his column.

So the glory days of high school passed. Several of my former teammates and I went on to play college football and Burt would keep everybody up on the “scuttle” from NMU, MTU, UW, UW-Oshkosh, CMU, and elsewhere. He was always so supportive, even when we were struggling a bit. When you got a mention in “Scuttle Bu(r)t,” it gave you a little shot of energy, pride and not wanting to let him down for being so good to mention you in his article.

My younger brother, Tim, also played for Coach Wender on strong Iron Mountain football teams and my sister, Alison, played tennis on the successful Phyllis Laurila teams of the late ’80’s, as did I years earlier. When my brother Bill and I would come home from college, any mention from Burt on any of us would be cut out and waiting on the table to be admired.

Even well after our playing days and long after moving away from the area, we would all stay in touch with the local sports action through “Scuttle Bu(r)t.” We would be part of the pride of the next great local team or story through his words, his articles, his pictures. Occasionally, Burt would catch us visiting our hometown, coaching a local football camp, or achieving some recognition in our professional lives. And no matter what type of success and recognition any of us had, there was always something special about getting a mention in “ScuttleBu(r)t.” That same shot of energy, pride and motivation to do more would return.

And the kicker was that Burt didn’t let years, miles or generational gaps get in the way of getting some Daily News recognition. As my own kids and my brother Bill’s kids started excelling in their respective sports, Burt would proudly share performances of Emily Popp or Joe Popp (daughter and son of Iron Mountain’s “Billy Joe Popp” as he would say) playing volleyball at The College of Holy Cross and baseball at the Colorado School of Mines, or Sam and Isaiah Popp (sons of “Ricky Mike” in Burt’s terms) playing soccer and football at Luisburg College NC and then Northern Michigan University. Burt would attend mass at Immaculate Conception Parish on Iron Mountain’s North Side and would graciously ask my mom, Bernice, how her kids and grandkids were doing. And the proud grandmother didn’t hold back. We would joke in our family that “it didn’t happen unless Burt Angeli writes about it in the Iron Mountain Daily News!”

Burt represented what is good about small hometowns and the importance of athletics to the local community. He taught us the importance of not letting your hometown down, about pride in your hometown community — even well after our playing days, about staying connected with those who’ve helped you grow as a person, about continuing to root for the next generation and not forget the greats of the past, about pride in community, and even about the good that comes from heated rivalries, win or lose.

Words can’t express how thankful we are for being associated with Burt Angeli for so many years. Our deepest condolences to Burt’s family and friends, and to the staff at the Daily News.

— Rick (aka Ricky Mike) Popp and the Popp Family (Billy Joe, Alison, Bernice, “Sugar,” the late Tim Popp and all of our kids

It is with great sadness and reflection that I write to celebrate Burt Angeli. Endless thanks can be said from myself and my family for all the kind words that he has written. I fondly recall reading when my father retired from Flivvers varsity basketball and his words emblemized an era that defines the program standard and tradition. We could always count on accurate accounts, dedicated following, just the right amount of humor and always being tuned in to the past, present and future of local athletics.

I always appreciated the kind check-ins to athletes past, as he had a way of bringing us back to our glory days. Burt’s writing was true and honest because he was a fan of the community and to all of those who competed.

As we celebrate the joy he gave us all, we can appreciate that we were also his biggest fans.

Onwards,

— Steve Short, director of sports medicine, Denver Nuggets

I knew Burt for 30 years, first as an assistant football coach with “Lefty” St. Arnauld and then as they boys varsity basketball for Niagara. When I called in after a game, I always hoped that Burt would answer. He had a very special talent to make me feel that our program was the most important program in the whole area regardless of the success of that season. He also had the ability to keep me centered, after a huge win or a very disappointing loss, even with only talking to him for a short while on the phone, he would have me realizing that it was just a game and there are a lot of more important things in life.

His best character trait was making me sound very intelligent and compassionate in the paper the next day. Sometimes after a game coaches can be very emotional and say things that they should not. Never once did any of those comments make the paper. He had an uncanny ability to filter out some of bad comments and make them sound better without losing the spirit of the article. One of the things I looked forward to as a coach was reading the paper the next day to see how smart I sounded.

Burt, your passing is truly a great loss for anyone who knew you. You always made everyone you touched a better person. Rest in peace.

— Jim Hoogland, computer/mathematics teacher

Burt was truly a great human being as well as a great journalist. He cared deeply about our athletes and the coaches. Whenever you saw him, he had that smile and laugh that made your day. He somehow had the ability to make us coaches feel special and the athletes seem larger than life. RIP Burt, you will be deeply missed.

— Dan St. Arnauld, longtime area football coach

I was such a fan of his articles and I enjoyed seeing him at the Niagara sporting events. I’m deeply saddened by his passing.

— Beverly (St. Arnauld) Desjardins

Burt Angeli … As I sit here and reflect on all the countless memories I have of him over the years.

I’ll never forget the numerous times I would call the office after a softball game with a game summary and he would answer the same way every time. It was always “Daily News, this is Burt.”

And every time he was going to cover a Norway basketball game … he would send me a text and ask me to send him one when the JVs were done. This way he would leave his house and walk into the gym just before the National Anthem started. Never once was he late.

And after him writing an article in the paper about Finlandia softball player Harlie Caster and her season accomplishments, he was quick to send me a text telling me that her high school coach had her playing the wrong position. At Finlandia she played center field. For the Knights she was our No. 1 pitcher. I was quick to respond back, “Burt! Someone has to pitch!”

He also sent me an article he came across from a Minnesota paper about a standout softball player who in the summer would help bale hay on her family farm. He asked me if I had any “Hay Balers” on the team? Ironically enough, that summer, Jordan Kraemer was helping bale hay. So I snapped a pic of her and sent it to him. He was quick to add it to his Twitter page. And a message saying I did have a hay baler on the team.

But I will always remember the times when he would show up at a softball game for a photo and he stand behind the third-base coach’s box and offer his many words of wisdom. That’s what I’ll miss the most.

Rest in peace, Burt. Always and forever my favorite sports writer.

— Robert Bal, Norway High School softball

Burt Angeli was a true professional.

Burt had the ability to describe a game out of the coach’s eyes. When you read his articles, it was easy to picture what happened in the game. As a coach that would call in games, Burt knew what you wanted in the article and what was off the record. He knew your personality and would make things seem positive, no matter how bad you played. I can’t tell you how many nice words of encouragement he had for me after losses. He was the first person you would talk to after games.

Burt would always research topics. He would never just wing an article. I found through the years that what he wrote about was true to the point.

I remember way back when he first started writing for the Iron Mountain Daily News, I could not wait to read his articles.

Burt wrote some great articles about the Wishigan League baseball. He came to games and did a great job covering them. I really believe his writings had a lot to do with the success of that league.

He did a lot for North Dickinson County sports; he was very good to all our coaches and was great to

work with. He knew the people in our area very well.

Burt will be remembered as a kind man and a great writer, a huge promoter of area sports.

Burt was a friend who will be sadly missed.

— Mike Roell, North Dickinson High School

Great ambassador for sports, particularly U.P. sports. As an Iron River native, I knew Burt as a sportswriter who was always excited talking and writing about coaches, players and others who were successful on and off the field, court or track. He stayed in the background but was at the forefront promoting the success of others. First class!

God’s speed

— Jan Quarless, retired educator and college football coach

I have known Burt from way back to my playing days in Norway after moving there in 1969. I also worked with him when I worked at the newspaper in the early ’80s. He will be missed by many, as he was always a fair and great writer as well as a person. God bless.

— Brian Adams

I had the good fortune of working with Burt all 44 years of his time at The Daily News. Whether I was working football or basketball games or track meets, he was there to get the information needed to write his column. He also made time to get information from the news archives when I needed it for KHS football and basketball records, even though he had many schools to cover. When he called, I was able to supply him with some information he needed for his columns about Kingsford teams, coaches and athletes.

After the new pressbox was installed in 1991, he had the same seat for 28 years, I would always set it up for him. This he welcomed because a severe storm almost blew over the old press box one night when he was in it. After that, Burt stayed on the ground until the new one was built. His help in the press box will be greatly missed.

Forty-four years with the same company on the same job is unheard of. His knowledge of all the great teams, athletes and coaches in the area cannot be replaced. He wrote what he thought was right and fair. A good man and an excellent sportswriter.

— Art Viens, Kingsford

Burt was such a kind man and wonderful sportswriter. I had the privilege of knowing him as an athlete in Niagara and a coach in Negaunee. I always looked forward to our conversations. He genuinely cared about the student-athletes and coaches and was a good example for us all.

— Vickie (Leathers) Paupore, Negaunee girls track coach

I had the good fortune to have known Burt from the time he started at The Daily News. He had a great sense of humor in addition to being a thorough and entertaining sports writer. While I was a coach at Florence High School, he was a pleasure to work with. Burt was a good man and will be missed.

— Joe Ferris, Florence, Wis.

I had the pleasure of having Burt as one of my high school classmates. Our graduating class of 1972 was the first to graduate after the consolidation of Stambaugh and Iron River. As we sat alphabetically, I was always seated behind Burt, with my cousin, Steve, behind me. Burt was the same as he was now: sweet, kind, quiet way, good sense of humor and a wonderful man.

It wasn’t until later in his sports columns that I realized we shared such a passion and love of dogs! This led to his lovely bride (as he called her) Gina volunteering at the old shelter and coming with us to the new one. They both shared their love for their adopted pets from us, and the Almost Home Animal Shelter itself. I’m sure he was pleased that his passing announcement happened to coincide with the shelter’s bi-monthly full-page pet ad! He will be greatly missed by all!

— Diane Atanasoff Luczak, director of the Almost Home Animal shelter in Quinnesec

Burt was one of a kind and a great guy — the U.P’s Mick McCabe (Detroit Free Press). It doesn’t get much better than “ScuttleBu(r)t.”

— Kurt Anderson, Forest Park girls track coach

Burt was a class act through and through, one of my absolute favorite people I have ever met. It’s devastating to learn of his passing.

— Lily Zhao, former WLUC TV6 sports reporter and current WFRV Channel 5 Green Bay sports reporter/Packers sideline reporter

One of the most wonderfully delicious conversations I had with Burt was on a Friday evening shift when he and I shared office space in The Daily Newsroom. We “debated” the worthiness of ballroom dancing, ballet, baton twirling and tournament fishing being sports that he should cover in the pages of his news section. He respected my views and I did his. We both knew I could not convince him that the Professional Walleye Trail was a sport and he could not convince me the Packers were worth, well, anything.

It was another night where I again smiled when his rumbly and quiet guffaw accompanied his gentlemanly head shake to end our discussion. Yes, he did have a quiet twinkle in his eyes. Loved it. I was honored whenever he asked me to cover some of the local outdoor sports and to cover on a couple of Friday nights in the office. His greetings when I came to visit the newsroom after I retired made my heart smile. My two high school cross country / track and field sons and I will always remember him fondly.

Gina, one day you will see the past with happiness instead of looking back with sadness.

— Doni-Mae B. Rauch, former Daily News outdoors editor

As the former Iron Mountain Public Schools athletic director and superintendent, I want to extend my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Burt.

My fondest memory of him is when he thought Tom Johnson and I were crazy bringing the Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament to Iron Mountain and we were going to shut down the downtown streets. I can still hear him laughing when we told him!

Burt was always a professional while covering numerous sports for the Mountaineers and all the area schools with integrity and class. Always approachable, fair and honest, Burt put in countless hours on the athletic fields and courts. Burt Angeli was “first class” in every way and he will be greatly missed!

— Denny Chartier, Peoria, Ariz.

I had nominated Burt for an alumni award at St. Norbert College. I recently turned in this submission:

Dear Committee:

It is with great pleasure that I nominate Burt Angeli for St. Norbert College’s Distinguished Achievement Award.

I have known Burt for many years. A 1976 graduate of St. Norbert College, Burt was sports editor of the Iron Mountain Daily News during the time I lived in the Iron Mountain, Mich., area (late ’70s to early ’80s). Burt interviewed me and reported on our teams during my high school and college sports days. At the time, I didn’t know Burt was a graduate of St. Norbert.

Fast forward 40 years, and now that I work at St. Norbert as director of media relations, I can fully understand how Burt used many of the principles he learned at SNC during his work at The Daily News.

Burt was honest, kind, fair and professional. He understood sports. In fact, he told me he used to referee recreational league basketball games during his time as a student at SNC.

Burt was never shy writing about the Green Knights and area athletes. In many of his columns, he referred to St. Norbert College as the “Harvard of the Midwest.”

My guess is Burt would still be at it today full-time if it weren’t for health issues. A native of the U.P., he loves his work.

I will never forget a few years ago when I was back home visiting my parents and I took my dad out for a beer in Iron Mountain. We were leaving a local establishment at around 10 p.m. Across the street was the Iron Mountain Daily News. It was a Friday night, always a busy time for high school sports. I walked across the street and stepped up on a ledge and peaked into the window. There was Burt, head down, writing away, trying to meet deadline so the local community could read about the high school sports happenings the next morning in the paper. He didn’t see me, and I knew not to bother him during crunch time. But I did walk away thinking, if people only new how much work goes into getting a daily newspaper out with a small staff. Burt has been at it since he graduated from college. It’s been his only full-time job.

I’m proud of him and the fact that he’s a St. Norbert College graduate who lives the motto, “To teach by word and example.”

It’s my hope that Burt Angeli is rewarded with the Distinguished Achievement Alumni Award for his selfless service to the area he has covered as sports editor with passion and dedication for so many years. He deserves this recognition.

— Michael P. Counter, director of media relations, St. Norbert College, DePere, Wis.

Within two years of Burt’s hiring I would predict the Daily News increased their subscribers twofold. At times controversial in his opinions but always accurate and fair in his coverage of the events he reported. In my book, he was a kind, gentle man and a scholar.

— Tom Clarke, retired Iron Mountain Mountaineers boys and girls varsity basketball coach

It was great sadness I heard the news of Burt’s passing. I have known and worked with Burt for over 30 years. He was truly dedicated to getting as much coverage as possible for all youth sports. I was always impressed with his ability to create a great story when given minimal details … those nights you called in after a big loss when the team did not play very well and the coach did not feel much like talking. He could take those bits and pieces and create a masterpiece. I will also miss how the conversations seemed to always turn to other topics, like the Cubs and Brewers … or Michigan State and the Badgers. He will be missed by all who knew him, RIP, Burt!

— Tom Beck, former Florence High School coach

I enjoyed a close relationship with Burt for 15 seasons as the Kingsford High School girls and boys varsity basketball coach. I always thought his coverage was fair, accurate and thorough. He remained a friend up to the present time. I will miss him.

— Roger LeDuc

I always enjoyed when Burt came to cover one of my games, or a Norway game when I was A.D. Burt would always sit and talk after the game to me to get the game stats, but also get my thoughts on the outcome, which I always enjoyed regardless of if we won or lost.

We always knew he was going to show up when our home economics teacher Renee Pollard had a hospitality room. She’d give him food to take back to his office; Renee always took good care of him and he was gracious to her about it.

When I was A.D, I used to always give him a padded chair to sit on in the corner he liked to view the game from. He was always gracious and thanked me for it, which is how he always was.

— Dwight Castelaz, former Norway coach and athletic director

Burt was a mentor to me and gave this (at the time) young reporter a chance to flourish. I even got him into several fantasy baseball leagues. I’ll never forget how he would make those unbearable early mornings pleasant. The highlights range from ski jumps to Izzo-Mariucci golf classics to Packers games to even a trip to the Breslin Center and most importantly the local fabric of the community and how fun that was. He would always be there for me when my father was sick and even helped with his fun. You are a great human being, Burt, and you will be sorely missed. Thanks for giving this guy a chance.

— Jason Galleske

Burt is a person I truly respect. He was very patient with me in my early years of coaching basketball and always made me feel comfortable. His laid-back demeanor made him easy to talk to and to even confide in. I always appreciated his approach. When we had home games that he covered he would always meet me in my classroom after the game and sit and talk to me and help me decompress. Burt did an incredible job and I think of him as a friend.

— Ben Leiker, Norway High School golf coach

Burt has been working for The Daily News longer than I have been alive. I have seen Burt at games from when I was in elementary school, when I played high school sports, and then into my coaching career. Burt was a professional that focused his articles on the high school athletes, and I respected him for that. His commitment to covering local sports is simply legendary.

On a personal note, I recall Burt sending me a picture of my son, who is currently in fifth grade, playing quarterback in a youth football game, with myself in the background holding the chains at Mountaineer Stadium. That picture is very special in our family.

— Robin Marttila, Iron Mountain head football coach

I am saddened to hear of the passing of an old friend. Burt Angeli was the one who started my “hobby” of getting my photos printed in our local newspaper. We compared photos we both took of a play at a baseball game and, liking the one I took, he asked if he could use it in the paper. Thus began many years of getting our North Dickinson School students’ pictures in the news. Burt had a talent for making people feel good about what they did, and he always greeted a friend with a smile and a kind word. He hasn’t been on the sidelines for awhile taking pictures and notes, but for some of us he will always be there in spirit. Rest easy, Burt Angeli.

— Photographer Rand Hruska, Sagola Township

Burt Angeli was just a wonderful guy to work with. Coaches loved him, kids loved him, parents loved him. His contributions, coverage and support of our youth in this community was first rate. I feel very fortunate that I got to work with him. He was all class.

— Jon Lorenzoni, Kingsford girls soccer coach and former North Central varsity girls basketball coach

Journalists are storytellers. “ScuttleBu(r)t” mastered the art of telling stories in two to three sentences, helped no doubt by a mind capable of remembering countless U.P. athletes and even lowly high school basketball managers.

I had the thrill of working for Burt Angeli and the Daily News for 10 weeks in the fall of 1989, during which I learned a bit of how to write for a daily newspaper. Writing five or six inches of interesting reporting in a matter of minutes might sound easy until you try it.

U.P. athletes had no stronger advocate than Burt Angeli. He belongs in the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.

— Frank McPherson

Burt was always so friendly and such a very fair writer and person. He was also very knowledgeable in the way he wrote. He was a great friend to me and I am really going to miss him.

— Andy Anderson of Felch, former Felch Labor Day Tournament Committee member

I’m really sorry to hear about Burt passing away. He was always good to talk to over the years, and helped me many, many times with stories and photos. In the years just before he retired, he had twin nephews Steve and Riley Angeli, who were basketball stars for Sault High. I always would tell Burt that his nephew Riley looked just like him. Riley was a heck of a player, too, and wound up playing in college.

Burt wrote so many stories about U.P. athletes. He probably should be in the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame.

— Rob Roos, sports editor, Sault Evening News, Sault Ste. Marie

Sports writing was not a job for Burt — it was his calling, his passion. All of us who had the pleasure to know Burt, through our sport, are sure of that!

The world is a better place because Burt was in it and I am blessed to have called him a friend. He will be sadly missed.

— Trudy Rochon, retired Florence High School volleyball coach

My first experience with Burt was a phone interview in 1978. He was just getting started and we had a lengthy conversation that was terrific. I still have the article in my scrapbook. That conversation started a lifelong friendship with Burt. I respected him as a reporter but even more as a friend. Soft-spoken, polite, professional and a true Christian. While I coached, I was never misquoted in an article that Burt wrote. That to me exemplifies Burt Angeli. Burt wrote articles that made people feel good, no matter what view you had of the column.

— Bill Santilli, retired Forest Park High School football coach

God gave Burt a gift that he has graciously shared with us for 40 years. He captured our dreams and documented our history, not only as a coach but also as a player and a parent.

One of the hardest things to do as a coach is to inspire a player. It is a lifelong endeavor started by people like Burt who plant the seeds of inspiration in many young athletes who read his columns. You can’t help but desire, dream big and have goals of greatness when reading Burt’s big game coverage and the exploits of past great athletes found in his “ScuttleBu(r)t” columns. His articles and pictures are found in many peoples scrapbooks and are timeless. A fourth- quarter option pass on 4th and 3 on the goal line of a Forest Park vs. Norway game captured by Burt a long time ago can bring old men, if just for an instance, back into the bodies of triumphant high school conquerors.

I know I can say this for all past area athletes who have scrapbooks: Thank you, Burt, for covering our accomplishments and our moments of greatness. You gave us memories that can never fade.

Burt made our local sports history into a heritage that can be passed down from generation to generation, which we are forever grateful.

— Dave Graff, Forest Park High School football head coach

Burt Angeli never forgot where he came from. His sports coverage of the local schools will always be special to the teams, athletes and families he wrote about. He covered success. He also covered heartbreak. Every bit of it was written from his true feelings and love for the game(s) and people involved. This summer, I will be part of a 40th class reunion from high school. All through my high school sports career, Burt covered Forest Park sports for the Daily News. That is remarkable! I am certain all the area schools feel the same as I do regarding Burt. He made you and your school feel special. Mr. Angeli got to know the people he wrote about as well. Now and then he would make your day with something personal. The Daily News dated Aug. 28, 2014, Burt Angeli wrote: “ANOTHER VALESANO COACHING” He gave a little history of my late father Rudy, who coached at Dick Mettlach’s side for many successful FP Football seasons, and wrote how my son, Mick, and I are now part of that wonderful tradition. Burt Angeli is all class!

— Gerard Valesano, Forest Park assistant football coach

Burt had a tremendous impact on our student athletes and sports community. It is amazing how often I would see his articles at grad parties, student athletes running to grab the paper to read about last night’s game, and players on the sidelines talking about Burt being there to cover their game. I also did the above-mentioned personally. I have so many of his articles in my memory and preserved in various scrapbooks and bulletin boards over the years as an athlete, coach, and educator.

Also, the memories he often resurfaced in his columns are some great ones and always a conversation piece for those that read it.

Thank you, Burt, for all you have done for our schools and community. All of our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family and we have all lost a enormous piece of our sports community.

I will always remember that Burt was one of the first people I came into contact with in Waupaca where my then 24-0 Niagara team took their first and only loss. As a young coach fighting back many emotions, Burt somehow turned my focus from the outcome of the game to the amazing things we accomplished over the season and he instantly and purposefully put things in perspective for me. He had a uncanny way to do that for me over all the years I worked with him and it is safe to say, he has had an enormous positive impact on me personally.

I will always remember the comfort of Burt answering the phone at The Daily News on those long away game road trip phone calls that would often drop out two or three times on the way home.

— Joe Tinti, Norway High School

Many other longtime area coaches knew Mr. Angeli better than I did, but you could always see in Burt’s coverage of our local sports teams his dedication to detailed, accurate and straightforward reporting, which you always appreciated as a coach and as a reader of the Iron Mountain Daily News. When he interviewed you, or as you watched him taking notes and taking dozens of pics from the sidelines of a volleyball or basketball game or any other sporting event he was covering, you could almost see him writing the article in his head, and you could see it was an absolute labor of love for him.

Whenever I tried to thank him for his coverage of our school sports programs, he’d briefly acknowledge the thank you and then immediately pivot back to his reporting. He didn’t want the credit he deserved for the outstanding job he did. He was a humble, high character man, and he certainly was talented enough to write for a bigger paper somewhere else in a bigger media market, but in his job running the sports department for the Daily News, you could just see how much he treasured this area and its people. The excellent work he did for all those years for the local paper made him as well known a person as anyone in this whole area, and his writing and reporting for the Daily News was a real and important part of the fabric of our area communities. He was really dedicated to his craft.

— Kent Walstrom, Florence football coach

I’ve known Burt since the mid 70’s when I started coaching football. Burt had a tough job. He had to keep a lot of people in different communities happy. I dealt with Burt during football seasons as well as keeping him updated on various football camps that I have run over the years. He was always happy to help get the word out.

Burt was always fair and honest. If I told him something off the record, he always honored his word. He was a very honest man. Many times he reminded me that the athletes of this area were his priority. I truly believed him.

I’ve worked with Burt over the past 40 years. I will miss him. He was my friend.

— Tom Wender, former Iron Mountain head football coach

Burt was a great friend for promoting Kingsford basketball over the last 20 years I have known him. He wrote some great articles about our boys over the years and he will be greatly missed.

— Dan Olkkonen, Kingsford boys basketball coach

It’s heartbreaking to hear of Burt’s passing. Many long-time Daily News subscribers from Iron County enjoyed his column for decades. He had a wealth of knowledge for the local sports heritage. He was always a friendly voice when I would call in stats for basketball. Burt will truly be missed by many that shared his passion for sports. Rest easy, my friend.

— Eric Shamion, West Iron County girls basketball coach

He was an outstanding sports writer for our area and a good friend to me and many sports programs. Myself and our players always felt good having Burt at our sporting events taking photos, stats, etc. He was very supportive of all area programs. Burt always made coaches, players and referees feel important. We all lost a good friend that will be missed. He has moved to a better seat, watching from heaven. Rest easy, Burt; thank you for all the great years, my friend.

— Bob Giannunzio, former Norway head football coach

I had the pleasure to see and talk with Burt for several years, although it seemed I knew him much longer from reading his articles for many years.

Burt welcomed me as a new coach and spent time with me after games or on the phone talking about what my team did, about what other area teams had done or just the game in general. Burt had a wealth of knowledge about all sports, he could but you at ease with his quick wit and that wonderful chuckle. This area has been truly blessed that he was a part of our communities for so long. His impact on the youth of this area cannot be measured.

— Karl Lamoreaux, Niagara girls basketball coach

Burt was more than a sportswriter, he was able to write about a sporting event and make a person feel as though they were at the event, experiencing the same highs and lows along with each coach, player, and team. He was a true friend, who looked for the good in everything. I’ll miss his columns, but I’ll miss him even more.

— Brad Grayvold, former Norway head football coach

During my time coaching, I had many interactions with Burt. We talked sports, movies and life. Always insightful, with a sharp wit and sense of humor. After I was done coaching, he wrote me an email to let me know that he appreciated our talks as much as I did. He also told me that he felt I left NC football in a better place than I found it. I would think it’s safe to say that he also left the paper and the world in a better place than he found it! Thank you, Burt!

— Kevin Bellefeuil, North Central Jets

To stand with Burt Angeli on the playing field or in the gymnasium was always an honor. I will remember the nod and quiet smile of approval. It meant a lot. Burt and I have been meeting like that for many years. I was the new kid on the block since the mid ’70s. He was the one to look up to.

Burt would bring to the pages of The Daily News a sensitivity that we would come to expect. To think of the clippings in scrapbooks of area families over the years is daunting. Burt cared and everyone knew that.

Thanks, Burt, and your laugh is the best. Now you know that we care.

— Karen Klenke, photographer, Karen’s Studio, Niagara, Wis.

Burt Angeli is the consummate professional. His work is always well thought out and always told the story of the game. The sporting community owes Burt a huge thank you for committing a tremendous amount of time to the area athletes, coaches, and schools.

— Harvey “Bucky” Johnson, Iron Mountain boys basketball and golf coach

I’ve always enjoyed conversations with Burt. From interacting with him during high school, college and high school football coaching, Burt has been extremely professional. His dedication to our local athletes in high school and beyond has been tremendous. My family has been one that received many mentions in Burt’s columns.

One memory that sticks out was when I was at Lakeland College. After a game, there was Burt waiting for me. I couldn’t believe he drove to Lakeland just to watch my game. He did a full write-up in The Daily News the following week. That is something that has stuck with me and I will always appreciate it.

— Mark Novara, Kingsford head varsity football coach

It was always an honor and a privilege to have Mr. Angeli walk into the gymnasium, press box, or any other athletic venue to cover an event. It was very evident how much he cared about the local student athletes and coaches. Mr. Angeli worked very hard at his craft and did it very well. The current and future local student athletes will surely miss out on a good one.

— Chris Hartman, director of athletics, Breitung Township Schools

I first met Burt in the fall of 1976. I was a junior in high school and playing football at Iron Mountain. He followed the local high school football teams very intensely. During my last two years he wrote some articles about my team and gave me some press. I still have all the articles. Anytime I was at the news office I always made a point to say hi to him and chat a bit with him if he was at his desk. Always had some interesting conversations. He knew I was a Packer Fan and that was always a topic during the down years for Green Bay. RIP, my friend, always enjoyed seeing you.

— Jim “Wahoo” Wahoviak (Burt always called me Wah)

I remember my first interview with Burt during my first season at North Central. He knew we were having a rough season by the box scores, losing by about 40 for a few weeks straight. When we only lost by 30 (yes, only, haha) versus North Dickinson, we sat down and talked for 15 to 20 minutes about patience, life and determination. He told me to stay the course and good things will happen for me and my family. I guarantee you I am not the first person to be on the receiving end of good-natured talks with Burt after games. I always appreciated how he would let the players be quoted more than the coaches and let the game situations write the story. He covered area teams with equity and it didn’t matter the sport or season. Tennis match during day and football at night, soccer match in morning and Little League baseball all evening, bocce ball and golf on the same day, no problem.

My most recent lasting memory with Burt took place when he was covering a UPGA golf tournament (which other sports writers don’t even know about). Over the years, my son Bryson got to know “Mr. Angeli” at these tournaments. My son thought of him as the picture guy who would go out of his way to take a picture of the “State Champ Waterboy,” as Burt would refer to him as. A few years back, Burt was covering a tournament at Timberstone that went down to the wire. My son missed a putt by an inch that would have won him the tournament. He asked me if he could interview Bryson after the round. I was delighted but nervous considering Bryson just lost a close tournament and was only 14 years old and still green when it comes to postgame interviews. The interview began, and I began loading up the clubs in the car. 10 minutes pass, and I am wondering where my kid was at. Burt and Bryson were over by the putting green. The interview was sure to be over by now, but there was Burt and my son chatting it up. I can only hope that 10 to 15 minute talk with my son was about patience, life and determination. I hope his family and wife, Gina, know the role Burt has played in lives throughout the U.P. over the years, and hold onto these wonderful memories as they celebrate the life of a great man.

— Adam Mercier, North Central coach

I’m sad to hear of the passing of Burt Angeli. I only had the pleasure of knowing Burt for a short time, but he had a definite impact on my journey as a coach. I was a first-year head varsity girls basketball coach at Florence during Burt’s last year at The Daily News and my biggest fear was addressing the media, especially after an emotional loss. I remembered a quote I had read years ago: “Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.” I decided regardless of the outcome or the emotions after a game I would always fulfill my duty to report to the media. My first game as a varsity coach was at Crivitz and we had lost by 22 points. On the bus ride home, I rehearsed what I would tell Burt when I called him from the Florence School parking lot. I had it memorized and I was ready. I called and the second I heard Burt’s voice…I froze! Forgot everything I was going to say. Burt proceeded to ask questions about the game and made it so easy. He made me feel like I was talking to a friend and my nervousness was gone. I was able to be myself and just have a “chat” about what went on that night. He made every conversation after that first one easier and easier. By the end of the year he’d have to cut me off because I would want to go on and on and he had many more coaches also trying to get through to him. He represented the media with professionalism and class, and for that I’ll be forever grateful for all his help and encouragement during that first season.

— Brad Perry, Florence High School coach

It is truly a sad day for our community. Burt was much more than just a sports writer but somewhat of a local treasure. I have truly missed our conversations over the last few years while he was off. Burt was one of the first to welcome me back to the high school coaching ranks when I returned to coach the Kingsford High School swim team four years ago. Burt supported the youth of our area with his in-depth look into each sport he covered. I will miss you old friend may you rest in peace knowing that you have done a fantastic job of being a representative of our community.

— Jim Lindstrom, head coach, Kingsford High School swim team

My sincere sympathy and prayers for all of you in The Daily News editorial office, etc., and all who worked so closely over the years with Burt. His reporting and the way he did it brought a lot of joy to so many who read his writings and saw his photos. I for one always appreciated his good thoughts about area athletes, especially when my granddaughters were active in KHS softball, tennis and basketball. I have missed him lately and we all will continue to miss this great guy.

Keep strong, keep writing, Keep the faith and know that Burt is at peace and no more suffering.

God bless you all.

— Orice Walters, Norway

Our family is so saddened to hear of Burt’s passing, and send our condolences to Regina and his other family members.

I got to know Burt while coaching at Northland, but really got to know him when I started coaching the Goodman-Pembine basketball team. He was always so approachable, thankful and supportive in many ways. His reach in our region covered so many different sports and schools, but he always made us feel like our teams were the most important to him. He recognized when people made an effort to make his job easier and better, and therefore developed a caring spirit for our daughter and youngest son when they were team statisticians. He took a special interest when he met my visiting dad from Alabama, and they developed their own long distance relationship. He came to our kids’ graduation open houses, and showed up to help us pack our truck the day we moved to North Carolina in 2015. We kept in touch the past five years, and our youngest received a high school graduation gift from him last summer.

Our family is genuinely saddened by Burt’s death, but is thankful for the impact and influence he had on us and countless others.

— Paul Whitt, Christie, Emily, Alex, Jackson

I am deeply saddened to learn of Burt’s passing. My time as sports editor in Iron Mountain began barely a month after graduating from college. Like with any local newspaper, the workload covering all schools and teams across multiple sports year-round is a monumental challenge. My time at The Daily News began in the thick of it with January basketball season. I was wide-eyed and at times overwhelmed, but Burt was a great mentor to me. His experience and patience made my transition into the job smooth. His encyclopedic local sports knowledge was priceless to the newspaper. Many readers asked how in the world Burt got some of the information he did. It only comes with decades of chasing leads and news gathering, a chase that Burt never grew tired of.

Burt was a valuable asset to the community long before I arrived, and remained during my time at the News. Many of our conversations centered in some way around sports. I was always impressed at his ability to dust 40 years off of some sports factoid for use in his “ScuttleBu(r)t” column. I appreciated his experience with newsgathering and his passion and dedication to providing news for the community he loved.

The thing I was most impressed with about Burt was his uncanny ability to recall faces and names, even after decades. He stayed in touch with most athletes he covered and pursued any sports story that had any Dickinson County (or Florence/Marinette) connection, no matter how small. He always chatted in the office about current coaches, parents or referees who were good athletes in their day. He was especially passionate about telling stories of those who had left the local area, the U.P., or northeast Wisconsin, and went on greater things all over the world. Those characteristics were just some of what made Burt an institution at The Daily News. I’m grateful to have learned from, and worked, with such a skilled journalist, colleague and human being. He will always be remembered and missed.

— Adam Niemi, sports editor, Mining Gazette

The thing that always struck me the most about Burt was his kindness. And that’s saying something, considering how good his writing was.

It’s pretty common for U.P. newspapers to share stories and photos considering the great distances teams must travel. Burt was always willing to help out whenever he could and I was happy to return the favor. Whenever I went to the Kingsford girls basketball regional, I took photos of every team, whether they were in my coverage area or not, and sent them to Burt in case he needed them.

When I walked into the Kingsford gym one time after doing that, Burt had a package of red pop waiting for me, somehow remembering that that was my favorite drink. The next time, he sent me the Chicago Tribune from the Cubs World Series victory, remembering correctly that I love the Tribune. I still cherish having a copy of that paper I couldn’t have found in Ironwood.

Burt’s stories were always interesting, and even more importantly, always positive. That’s a direct reflection of the kind of guy Burt was, as kind and thoughtful a man as I’ve ever met in this business.

Your area, and the whole U.P., was lucky to have him.

— Jason Juno, sports editor, Ironwood Daily Globe

Our community suffered a great loss with the recent passing of former Daily News Sports Editor Burt Angeli. Burt’s love for this area, the people he covered, and sports themselves was obvious. And his encyclopedic knowledge of local sports history was simply unrivaled.

I’ve read Burt’s articles and columns since the mid-1980s and for three years in high school during the 1990s, I served as a reporter for The Daily News sports section under Burt’s expert leadership.

Whether early on a weekday morning or late on a Friday night, Burt’s enthusiasm for the games and standout performances was infectious and made everyone in the newsroom even more determined to produce excellent work.

But it wasn’t just in the newsroom. On any given day in the sports pages, you could see Burt wrote the story for at least one game and quite often took photos at another. With a small staff, he tirelessly made sure games in nearly a dozen different school districts stretching from Iron River to Powers found spots in the paper.

As much as he cared about chronicling the action, Burt cared even more about capturing the people involved — coaches and players alike. That’s what made his columns so special. Burt not only helped us know the current athletes but kept us all updated on the lives and families of those who came years or even generations before.

He understood that high school sports are deeply woven into our communities, instill essential character traits in our young people that help groom their paths to career success, and that those student-athletes past and present created moments that filled our communities with great pride.

And Burt did all of this with incredible selflessness, graciousness and good cheer for 45 years. He had time and a kind word for everyone, even showing the ropes to a 15-year-old high school kid who had never written a sports article in his life. Every visit back to see Burt was filled with a lot of laughs and warm memories.

Burt Angeli was a local treasure. We were blessed to have someone of his caliber, his devotion and his character serving our community for so long and so well.

— Greg Corombos, Woodbridge, Va. (but always from Iron Mountain)

Burt rarely took a day off. As recently as last year I can still remember seeing Burt in the endzone up in Iron River, covering a game on a Saturday afternoon (we would have a little chat/joke as I was back judge and stood close to him between plays). I would think, he is really dedicated to his job and community. I also have one funny story of when I was 12, I got an autographed picture of Chrissy Evert (tennis player) and I told Burt that we were dating just to joke around with him, next thing you know, the rumor ended up in his column.

Burt Angeli was always one to give you a little press when you moved out of town. When I coached basketball in Eagle River at Northland Pines high school 25 years ago and even as assistant basketball coach at Green Bay two years ago, he always was able to put in a blurb or picture of what you were doing. He made a lot of moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas happy and proud. He will be missed greatly and the IM-K area will never quite be the same.

— Tony Calo

During the last year I’ve kept in touch with Burt as he battled cancer. We lost a legend in sports writing. Burt did a great job recapping our basketball games for readers as if they were there live. I can tell you as a coach, if we won or lose, Burt was easy to talk to, he put things into perspective and did an amazing job with how he worded it. I had the great honor to work with Burt gathering information for the state championship reunion we put on in Florence last year. The championship was won in 1989 — I was 2 years old; he recapped things so perfectly, I felt as if I was a part of that state team. Burt did such an amazing job getting me information, getting things out to the public to make it such an amazing job. It’s only fitting that he won first place and that he goes out on top of his profession. I cannot thank him and The Daily News enough for their coverage of our basketball team. Burt has been greatly missed already. He was kind, gracious, very professional and never wanted things about him.

But Burt is a great person and deserves so much. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone whose lives Burt has touched; through his profession and to his family as well. I’ll never forget my first interview as a head coach — it was with Burt. He made me feel welcomed and very comfortable.

With Burt, you had a winner … and you win in life with great people and that was BURT. He will be forever missed by many.

— Bryan W. Bomberg, Florence varsity boys basketball coach

I am so sorry to hear of Burt’s passing. He always found time to include the local hockey association (DAHA) in the news/sports sections. He was a kind person and will be sorely missed. Prayers to his family from all the members of DAHA.

— Paul Burgoon

Burt Angeli is an absolute legend. There was so much passion in what he did and it was an honor to be the subject of many of his articles. Every time I would return home from a trip, my mom would show me his articles. They would always put a huge smile on my face. It was an awesome way to be welcomed back home. Thank you for being such a supportive and dear friend.

— Nick Baumgartner, three-time Olympic snowboarder

My sympathy goes out to Burt’s wife and family. Burt was all about the student athlete. Burt was not a self-serving writer but rather tried to highlight as many athletes as possible, student and otherwise. If you made Burt’s “ScuttleBu(r)t” column, well you were somebody, even if he was giving you a friendly jab. In my slow pitch days he likened me to Mick Kelleher with a bat and Dick Stuart with a glove. And he was right! I’ll bet Burt and Terry Van Haute are scouring heaven for the next big story as we speak.

Thanks for the great work, Burt. See you on the other side!

— John Koehler, Results Broadcasting

This is definitely a huge loss to the Upper Peninsula sportswriting community.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Burt for most of my 35-year career. He was truly a class act and was always willing to lend a helping hand.

Many times he helped me line up freelance assignments with downstate papers during the football playoffs. He also contacted me when he needed someone to cover a grid playoff or district basketball game which often carried over into volleyball and wrestling.

I remember one time going to Engadine to cover Forest Park in a state volleyball quarterfinal and Newberry to cover Iron Mountain in a team regional wrestling meet while Burt was still at the Daily News.

For cross country and track, our usual arrangement was for Burt to take photos and me to write the stories, which worked out real well for both of us.

To this day, I continue to cover many of the area cross country and track meets for The Daily News and will always be thankful to Burt for helping me get my foot in the door.

Whenever I covered an athletic event in Dickinson or Iron County on deadline, Burt would cordially invite me to file a story from his office and provide the same opportunity for sportswriters from other U.P. papers.

I can’t count the number of times I sent stories to the Sault News or Michigan High School Athletic Association from his office after the U.P. Track Finals in Kingsford.

During the Track Finals, we always took a few minutes to chat and exchange information about various U.P. teams and athletes which often carried over into the writing process.

I will always be thankful to Burt for all the help and friendship he provided in the early years of my sportswriting career and the background information on area teams and athletes he provided for use in our paper.

Although our hearts are heavy at this time, we’re all richer for having known Burt. He will definitely be missed.

— John Vrancic, sports writer, Escanaba Daily Press

Burt Angeli did more for our family than he will ever know. Covering my father’s coaching career, my playing career and both of my sisters’ athletic careers, he provided memories through his pictures and articles. Those moments he captured we have cherished over the years and are forever thankful for his service towards covering the athletes and great people in the Dickinson County area. Without Burt, a lot of athletes would never have the quality of memories we currently do. He will be greatly missed by all.

— Brady Grayvold, Norway High School Class of 2010

As a former football coach the thing I will remember about Burt was when he covered one of your games he was fair and what he reported was accurate. For that reason you trusted him and you were comfortable talking with him. He will be missed.

— Marv Harry

He was a quiet person, humorous and soft spoken but he used his power of the pen to voice his opinions. Always enjoyed talking with Burt, always made me chuckle! He will missed by many!

— John Hogberg, former Iron Mountain girls basketball coach

Burt Angeli was a highly respected member of the U.P. Sportwriters and Sportcasters Association. Whenever Burt was sponsoring an athlete for all-U.P. selection, that athlete usually was named all U.P. Burt had great insight into an athlete’s worth. Next, the Green Bay Packers had at one time a media day prior to training camp. The local media usually received an invite. It took place at the Oneida Golf Course. Burt and I were teamed up with linebacker George Cumby. On this one hole Burt hit a drive into the adjoining hole. The ball was heading right for current coach Bart Starr. If we had not yelled “fore,” Burt’s ball probably would of beaned Coach Starr. Finally, the media day also gave us a rare opportunity to meet sports celebrities. This one day gave us a chance to meet Indiana famed basketball coach Bobby Knight. Knight had been invited by Coach Starr to give his players a pep talk prior to training camp.

— Leon Waitrovich, Frog Country Sports

It will be hard to imagine a sports article without Burt. We won’t hear from “ScuttleBu(r)t” again. What a great loss to the U.P. sports scene. Burt had a way to present sports news without showing any favoritism. All of his articles were presented fairly and with knowledge of the sport. The hours he spent covering all of the sports in our area is remarkable. The articles that he wrote about the things that were aside from the main story added so much interest and in site to the main contest. Burt had a remarkable ability to converse not only with the coaches and star players of a sport, but also with the students that were sitting on the bench. He was not only respected by the coaches and players but also with his many readers. Burt had the uncanny ability to compare a team of the present time to teams and players of the past. He will be greatly missed by the City Park tennis gang. Hopefully there will be room in the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame for such a great sports booster. He surely deserves it! God speed Burt!

— Phyllis Laurila, Iron Mountain High School tennis coach

God bless Burt Angeli. My playing days were in the late ’70s/early ’80s. Time flies, but the “ScuttleBu(r)t” column has been there the whole time, to make it seem not so long ago. Burt chronicled the careers of so many local athletes. He’ll be missed.

— Tom Bertoldi, IMHS Class of ’79

I enjoyed talking to Burt at games or after games because I knew he had an interest in the kids from West Iron County and all the other athletes from many other schools. He truly seemed to love his job and writing about all these athletes. I was glad and honored to have made the “ScuttleBu(r)t” section of his writings with some of the quotes he got in our after-interview conversations. I considered him a friend and will truly miss him. God received a wonderful man.

— Dan Schive, West Iron County boys basketball coach

Rest in peace, my friend. You will be missed. 1641 Parkview.

— Robert Furno, Iron Mountain

To the entire Angeli family — wife Regina, siblings, nieces and nephews — prayers for you in this difficult time. Since 1976, this Yooper by way of Detroit loved and looked forward to reading every “ScuttleBu(r)t” column and story penned by Burt. The community and region are better by his decades of superb journalism and I will greatly miss his funny, odd, insightful commentary. Rest in peace, Mr. Angeli.

–John Furno, Huntsville, Alabama

To a good friend and sports colleague — The Daily News has lost a great sports editor. I always looked forward to the weekly “ScuttleBu(r)t” columns. I guess now Burt’s favorite team will be the “Saints.” Regina and her family will be in our thoughts. We love you, Burt.

— Mike “Carr” Caruso

I moved here from Chicago in 2008 and never heard of Burt Angeli. Quickly after starting to work in the Daily News sports department late that summer, it become evident to me that I was working alongside a local legend. So all I did during my time at the newspaper was try to emulate Burt. I also learned fairly quickly that I would never be able to.

Burt was one of a kind, and his dedication to the craft unmatched. He lived at the office. He wanted to make sure we had everything covered that we could possibly cover. There was never any favoritism. And he never shortchanged anyone, even when dealing with coaches who were not exactly the most reliable for reporting to us. You could have a coach who literally never bothered to call us with a result week after week. And week after week, Burt would reach out to try to get something.

Burt poured his life into his profession, this paper and this community. I was always amazed with the obscure connections he would find. He’d come across some random story from a far away state and find a local connection to the story.

I learned so much from Burt, and I’m not talking about how to write a story or put a page together. I learned about life, being a good person and how one should treat others. Burt was a true class act and whoever sits in the sports editor chair now and in the future will never be able to fill those shoes.

I’m not sure if this community fully realizes how lucky they were to have Burt. It’s certainly not like that everywhere.

Trying to do this job with three little kids at home and a wife who also worked full-time was no easy task. Burt understood that and did all he could (usually in the form of sacrificing his own free time) to help me make it work. I am forever thankful to him. When I heard he was sick and the paper needed help, there was no hesitation in my mind. Even though I work full-time at the YMCA, I wanted to do what I could for Burt. I wanted him to know we had things under control at the paper, just keeping his chair warm for his return. I didn’t want him to worry about it.

Seeing all these tributes pour in was not a surprise to me. I imagine there will be more in the days and weeks to come. And I can’t think of anyone more deserving.

— Ron Deuter, former Daily News sports editor

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