Kurt J. Anstett, 62, passed away suddenly on February 22, 2023. He left behind his loving wife, Denise (Loy); most cherished sons, Ryan and Aidan; beloved niece Erika; dear sisters, Rita and Veronica; fun-loving cousin to many; loyal friend to countless. He was preceded in death by his faithful parents, James and Loretta (Sugrue) Anstett and brother Greg.
Kurt was a warm and generous man to everyone he met. He believed in paying it forward. He often picked up the restaurant checks of strangers or in the Starbucks drive thru. A true people person, Kurt’s personality shone through when he was in a crowd – whether it was in his church community, at a sporting event, or celebrating with his family. He was so proud of his son for joining the Marines, his youngest son’s success on the basketball court, and his niece buying her first home. Family was important- Kurt would do anything for his sisters. He often took them out for breakfast or grocery shopping. Kurt would often brag about his sister’s signature sweet potatoes. Kurt was a “foodie”, he appreciated a good Merlot, Harrington’s corned beef, soup of all types, and Starbucks. He enjoyed topping off a meal with a good cigar. He mastered the art of dad jokes but had not mastered texting (too often he would send garbled messages that needed a voicemail to explain them).
Kurt was a strong believer in using cash for everything. That also meant his pockets would fill with change, and he distributed that change everywhere he rested- the couch, the counter, the car. We will be finding coins for years to come. After his sons, Kurt’s passions revolved around sports. Watching his sons and niece play in any sport was his joy. A dedicated coach, he spent hours developing drills for his teams, making them master them through relentless practice. As an umpire, he tried to impart skills in the players, explaining why the calls were made with tips on how to change them. He loved to spend time with his friends and family on the golf course as much as possible. He was a lifelong Bears fan and season ticket holder, and a great pal to Lucky. Da Bears! He was a man who lived large, made a tremendous impact on everyone he met, and will be greatly missed by all.
Funeral Saturday 10 AM from Gibbons Family Funeral Home 5917 W. Irving Park Rd (1/2 Block East of Austin) to St Edward Church. Mass 10:30 AM. Interment Maryhill Cemetery. Visitation Friday 3-8 PM. In lieu of flowers, please take a moment and hug your spouse, spend time with your kids, and call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. If you’d like to donate or sponsor a youth team in your area in Kurt’s honor. For info 773-777-3944 or www.gffh.com
Gibbons Family Funeral Home, Ltd.
5917 W. Irving Park Road
Chicago, IL 60634-2618
Kurt J. Anstett
Tribute Video
Visitation Date
03/10/2023
–
03/11/2023
Service Location
Visitation
Gibbons Family Funeral Home
Friday March 10 from 3-8 PM
Funeral Mass
St Edward Church
Saturday, March 11 at 10:30 AM
Interment
Maryhill Cemetery
Niles, IL
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Denise, Ryan and Aidan,
Words cannot express how sorry we are for your loss. We have memories of Kurt that make us smile! We are forever grateful for the opportunity to have known him. Please know you are all in our thoughts and prayers. Love you all.
It was one of the saddest days in my life, when cousin Steve gave me call last week and told me about this tragedy. I’ve been to Chicago a couple times in my life and Kurt was one of reason to come over from Germany to the States. We had a great time last September, playing golf, going out for dinner and having him as a Tourguide in Chicago was outstanding. He knew everything in and around Chicago history and I enjoyed listening to him.
It will take a while, to realize, that you are no longer with us. I will miss you, my friend.
Rest in pease 😢
“A cousin is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.” That sentiment sums up my feelings about all my cousins, and certainly my feeling about Kurt. It was impossible to dislike him, even though he had a knack of calling you at the most inopportune times. Kurt rarely was cross and rarely unable to get in the last word. We shared many conversations about Aidan’s fortunes on the basketball court, his father’s (Uncle Jimmy) last days, or a medical condition that was bothering him. He often would ask me for a drill for his hoop team for a certain deficiency he noticed at practices. He championed my book to other basketball coaches. He truly loved his family and the bond with his sons will never be broken. One of the aspects I most appreciated about Kurt was his awareness about others. For example, he always asked about my own two sons and their wives and kids in our phone calls. He would ask me if I wanted his Bears’ tickets for a certain date. He sent me Aidan’s schedules. He would call to mention a St. Patrick’s Day fest at the local church, so if I was in town to try to attend. Kurt was kind, thoughtful, friendly, and enthusiastic about life. I will miss him. Fortunately, we all possess fond memories that sustain us when we grieve. Nothing but good stuff, dear cousin. Rest in Peace.
So sorry for the loss of your beloved Kurt. I went to school with his sisters and he was a year behind me. I wish I had the chance to get to know him better. He sounded like a great guy, full of love and compassion. May you always keep your sweet memories of him in your heart, and may he rest in peace with his Lord and Savior.
God Bless you Kurt, a great friend of mine….many Bears games with him…a great great guy….will never forget you my friend….R.I.P.
Rich Wagner, a friend, a Logan Square, and Quencher alumni …..
The realization of our cousin Kurt’s passing has been a real challenge for me. Since I moved to Wisconsin he has been the one person who called me regularly just to see how I was doing and catch up. He would give me recommendations of what to order at Starbucks! The shock of his death hit us all hard. It reminds us that we are not in charge and that our faith will see us through this sad time. I am grateful to Aiden since I heard that he did not want his Dad cremated. We all need some closure. I know Kurt was a man of faith and I know he is now where we all hope to be someday. Rest in peace, dear cousin.
Sending our deepest condolences and prayers to Kurt’s family🙏🏼💜🙏🏼
Love the Garnett family
To Denise and Family,
We are very sad for your loss. May the Lord guide you and the family through this difficult time of sorrow.
Our hearts and thoughts are with you. May Kurt rest in peace in the Lord’s kingdom.
With Love,
Yolanda, Jesus, & Ozzie Gacia.
Rest easy young man I am glad I was able to see you on January 11 watching your son play basketball your big personality will be missed,till we meet again
I don’t have ask if Kurt is in heaven……. because I know he’s already there.
He was as good a friend as you could as for and his spirit will endure.
Til our paths cross again, my Brother.
TR.
Kurt left a positive imprint on many people. He introduced me to the basketball league at Our Lady of Victory and has been a good friend since. He generously gave his time and energy training many kids, including mine. I will always treasure all our conversations and memories.
RIP to my old HS football buddy. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
I have known kurt since his Tryton collage days where we met. We enjoyed golf racket ball -a white water rafting trip. Many good times. I saw him go through tough situations also in life . Many of these situations I probably could not have handled . He had great faith for sure. I could see or sense the lords strength or comfort in kurt over time in these situations when I look back. May he rest in peace and may we all find the faith and character to live such a life. My sympathy to Denies and family.
This is the saddest news I have received in ages. Kurt and I reconnected last year after many years via FB and we conversed and played Quiz Planet and messaged each other all the time. I recruited Kurt to play on my softball team back in the day and he was featured in a story and full page photo that I wrote about what bachelors eatt in the Sun-Times We had much in common. We loved sports, family and we both have boys in high school and we talked sports, parenting, and life. Kurt was a good man to the bone and will be sorely missed. I have a hole in my heart now.