Anthony A. “Nick” Sacco
December 5, 1941 ~ November 15, 2017
Nick was born in Rockford Illinois, two days before the attack on Pearl Harbor. His Father was called immediately to work, building fighter planes for McDonnell Corporation, and the family returned to St. Louis.
Nick attended school in the Pattonville School District and Forest Park Community College. He developed a love for Fire Service when his Father was Chief of the Pattonville Fire Department. Nick became a volunteer Firefighter and then a paid Firefighter there.
In 1961 he married Laura Whitworth and they had three children, Troy, Lynn and Todd. The family moved to Eureka, Missouri when Six Flags opened and he was hired as the Assistant Fire Chief. He volunteered for the Eureka Fire Department and was hired as Fire Chief of that Department in 1971. At that time, he was the youngest Fire Chief in the State of Missouri. Nick also was instrumental in helping start the Central County Fire Alarm, was Fire Chief for the Missouri State Fair for 2 years and assisted with school fire safety education for the Eureka and Pacific Fire Departments. He was elected to The Eureka Fire Protection District Board of Directors and served from 1991-2003.
In 1995 Nick married Barbara Freund and helped raise her two children Chris and Jennifer and his nephew Sean. After leaving active fire service, Nick worked in sales for Foster Mechanical, Henkel/Loctite Corporation and drove for Express Medical Transporters. He considered his regular passengers extended family.
Nick was an active member of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Eureka, and utilized his woodworking skills to build the church’s Altar, Baptismal Font stand and Lectern. At that time, St. Francis was a mission church, rented worship space and needed portable furnishings. In 2017, when St. Francis was able to build and move to their permanent church building, those pieces were donated to St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church for use in their chapel.
Nick was a member of the Firefighters of America, Meramec Masonic Lodge, Moolah Shriners Temple and the Moolah Guides Unit, helping them transport patients and families to Shriners Hospital. He loved fishing and boating, especially at their special place on Bull Shoals Lake.
He is survived by his wife Barbara Sacco of Pacific, sister Vincenzina Stienbrueck (Henry) of Ballwin, children Todd (Denise) Sacco of Eureka, Lynn Sacco of Los Angeles, Chris Freund of Pacific, Jennifer (Patrick) Sinn of Wildwood and grandchildren Ellen, Rebecca, Maria and Jada Sacco, Cole Freund, Aubrey, Michael and Hunter Sinn, Hannah, Lucas and Rosetta Brock, nephews Sean (Rachel) Brock of Union, Christopher (Kathy Broderick) Jones of St. Louis County and niece Christina (Clifton) Metcalf of Matthews S.C., numerous brother and sister in-laws, cousins, step nieces and nephews, great nieces/nephews and friends.
He was proceeded in death by his son Troy Sacco, parents Nick and Nutina Sacco, sister Benita Sacco and two brother in laws Norman Jones and Bob Edwards.
A visitation will be held at
St. Francis Episcopal Church, 602 Rockwood Arbor Drive, Eureka, MO 63025
(previously known as Brewster Road at the entrance to the new Arbors of Rockwood development)
Saturday, December 2, 2017, at 1 pm – 4 pm
Memorial Service will begin at 4 pm
In lieu of flowers, donations appreciated to St. Francis “Memorial Garden” c/o the church, or Shriners Hospitals for Children- St. Louis.
Our thoughts and prayers are with your family.