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Former Ald. Burton Natarus Dies At 86

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Former Ald. Burton Natarus has died at the age of 86.

Natarus served as alderman of the 42nd Ward from 1971 until 2007, when he was unseated by current Ald. Brendan Reilly. While its boundaries varied when he was in office, the ward has long included the Loop, River North, the Magnificent Mile, the Gold Coast, and Streeterville.

Natarus was elected to nine consecutive terms in office – beginning when Mayor Richard J. Daley was still in office, and through the entire tenures of mayors Michael Bilandic, Jane Byrne, Harold Washington, and Eugene Sawyer, and all but the last term for Richard M. Daley.

Natarus was one of a few white aldermen among the group of 21 who sided with Mayor Washington during the infamous Council Wars in the 1980s.

"Burt was widely recognized as a colorful alderman, who thought of himself as the 'Janitor of the Ward.' He worked tirelessly to ensure every resident of the 42nd ward was represented. He was also known in City Council as an expert in parliamentary procedures, and as the 'master of the ordinance' for crafting much of the legislation that was passed in council during his aldermanic tenure. Burt was known for his flamboyant speeches and often made fun of himself," his obituary on Legacy.com said.

Natarus was a champion of causes from open spaces and preservation to education. To some, he might have been best known for his efforts to require carriage horses in Chicago to wear diapers.

He was also the first politician in the country to sponsor a successful plan to make driving while talking on a cellphone illegal.

Natarus was born and raised in Wausau, Wisconsin. He was a resident of the Near North Side going back to 1960.

He was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin Law School, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, and he later taught classes on local government at Loyola University Chicago.

Natarus is survived by his son, Michael, daughter, Jill and grandchildren, Jacob and Jenna.

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