Anthony A. “Nick” Sacco’s contributions to Eureka will not be forgotten.
Mr. Sacco, who was chief of the Eureka Fire Protection District from 1971-1978, was often referred to as “Chief” years after he retired, said his wife, Barbara Sacco.
“We would be out in the community and people would refer to him as ‘Chief,’ even though he had not been chief for many years,” Barbara said. “They would thank him for the things (the fire department) did for them – for when an ambulance came to their house, or they put out a small kitchen fire. People were still thanking him all of those years later.”
Mr. Sacco died Nov. 15 at age 75.
He was born Dec. 5, 1941, in Rockford, Ill., just two days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, plunging America into World War II. Mr. Sacco’s father built fighter planes and the family moved to St. Louis during the war.
Mr. Sacco attended school in the Pattonville School District went on to Forest Park Community College. He became a firefighter and moved to Eureka in 1971 with his first wife, Laura, and their three children – Troy (who preceded his father in death), Lynn and Todd. Six Flags opened that year and Mr. Sacco became the park’s assistant fire chief.
He also served as a volunteer firefighter in Eureka, and when the district’s first chief, George H. Manetzke Jr., died fighting a propane truck fire in November 1971, Sacco was asked to take over as chief of the district.
“He didn’t talk specifics a great deal about it, but you knew he was a fireman,” said Chris Freund, Mr. Sacco’s stepson and Rockwood School District director of facilities. “That was something he carried dear to his heart.”
Mr. Sacco is credited with helping the department transition from a volunteer group to having full-time firefighters, and he brought ambulance service to Eureka.
“He really was somebody who was on the forefront of what was going on in the industry as our community was starting to grow,” Eureka Fire Chief Greg Brown said.
Mr. Sacco was the chief when a support beam for the “Skyway” ride at Six Flags broke, sending a car plummeting and killing three people. He was first at the scene and organized the evacuation of other riders.
Mr. Sacco served on the fire district’s board of directors from 1991-2003.
“He was an extremely intelligent man and visionary,” Brown said. “He would roll up his sleeves and get the job done.”
Mr. Sacco was a member of St. Francis’ Episcopal Church, Meramec Masonic Lodge, Moolah Shriners Temple and Moolah Guides Unit, which transports patients and families to Shriners Hospital.
After retiring from the fire district, Mr. Sacco worked in sales, and then became a driver for Express Medical Transporter, driving workers to Lafayette Industries, a contract packager that employs adults with disabilities.
“The families said they could set their clocks by Nick, and they felt really comfortable trusting their loved ones with him,” Barbara said.
Mr. Sacco was also known for his woodworking skills. He had a shop in his basement.
Freund said Mr. Sacco made him a display case for Indian artifacts and arrowheads, and Barbara said one Christmas Mr. Sacco made 22 walnut bowls that were given to family members.
Freund said his son, Colton, an eighth-grader at LaSalle Springs Middle School, has become interested in woodworking as have Mr. Sacco’s other grandchildren.
Mr. Sacco also built a portable altar, lectern and baptismal font for St. Francis, which moved into its first permanent home at 602 Rockwood Arbor Drive in November. Then, the portable items were given to St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church in Richmond Heights.
“It was his greatest dream for St. Francis to have a building,” said the Rev. Sally Weaver, St. Francis vicar. “When we finally got the land, he was sick. He wasn’t able to be in the new building. His funeral (Dec. 2) was the first funeral service we did in the building.”
Mr. Sacco’s ashes will be spread in the church’s planned Memorial Garden.
“I really, truly believe that he waited until his goal of having a permanent church for St. Francis was met before he died (from complications of Parkinson’s disease,” Barbara said.
Mr. Sacco and Barbara were neighbors and their children knew each other growing up.
The two became friends through their shared interest of public service – Mr. Sacco with the fire district and Barbara was a Eureka alderwoman from 1985-1999 and served as acting mayor in 1995 when the elected official moved away.
They married in 1995 when Mr. Sacco’s children were grown and Barbara’s son (Freund) was in college and her daughter, Jennifer, was in ninth grade.
“His children accepted me and my children as family members very quickly,” Barbara said. “He played a wonderful role in my kids’ lives. He was a wonderful father figure.”
Freund said Mr. Sacco instilled in him a love for hunting and fishing, and he fondly remembers the family’s trips to Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas.
Freund said Mr. Sacco was a devoted husband.
“The one thing I always knew was he loved my mom dearly and he would do anything for her,” Freund said. “His love for my mother was amazing.”
“Life Story,” posted Saturdays on Leader Publications’ website, focuses on one individual’s impact on his or her community.