Michael Sutfin

Michael Sutfin, 74, of Ottawa, IL, passed away Wednesday night at his home.

Memorial Mass will be at 10:30am February 4, 2023 at St. Francis of Assisi, with Rev. Gary Caster officiating. Visitation will be 9-10:30 before the service at the Church, with Military Service,  arrangements by Ottawa Funeral Home.

Michael was born January 24, 1949, in Chicago, IL. to William and Vera (McNulty) Sutfin. He married Suzanne (Nixon) Brue in Ottawa. on New Year's Eve 1998.

Mike was the Ottawa Building Official and Floodplain Manager from 2007 to 2019. He was passionate about floodplain management and protecting people and property from damage due to flooding. He raised Ottawa to a CRS 2 Rating, placing it among the top 10 flood-prepared cities in the US. Mike was the 2009 Illinois Floodplain Manager of the Year, National Weather Service's National Solution Search Award winner for pioneering the Rapid Assistance Flood Team (RAFT) Organization, helped create the Senator Rezin Floodplain Coalition, was on the Homeland Security FEMA CRS Task Force setting national policy, and received the 2019 IAFSM Award for Outstanding Service. His efforts helped Ottawa obtain flood buyout grants for many houses and for the former Ottawa Central School. He retired from the city of Ottawa as a Building Official and Certified Floodplain Manager in 2019. 

Mike served in the US Marine Corps in Vietnam from 1968-69. He retired as a lieutenant from the Schaumburg Fire Department. As a craftsman and an artist, he was responsible for the restoration and establishment of many memorials and historic sites. 

He is survived by his wife, Suzanne and her sons Jeff and Luke; his children Michael, Kimberly, Robert (Sara) and Annette and their significant others; his brothers and sisters William, Jude, John, MaryAnne, Eugene, and Tom. He was a grandfather to 11 granddaughters and one great-grandson. He was an uncle and cousin to many.

Michael was preceded in death by his grandmother and his parents.

In lieu of flowers and plants, memorials may be directed to St. Judes.

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