Longtime Fire Chief Fred Burdo Remembered For His Dedication To Family And Community
BY NANCY GAGNET— MIRROR REPORTER
Fred Burdo loved the fire department.
A 44-year member of the Maumee Fire Division, Burdo, died on November 14 at the age of 80.
“I think it was just so much a part of who he was,” his daughter Claudia Stein said.
Burdo underwent heart surgery six weeks ago; however, complications from asbestosis, a lung disease that occurs from breathing in asbestos fibers, weakened him, Stein said.
“After that he never quite recovered,” she said.
Burdo joined the department in 1952 and after working his way through the ranks, was named chief in 1984, a position he held for 12 years until his retirement in 1996.
His grandfather served on the department and his father Ralph also served as fire chief, Stein said.
“Dad kind of followed in their footsteps. We have very strong fire department roots in our family,” she said.
Several firefighters from Maumee as well as surrounding departments attended Burdo’s funeral.
“There’s something about a brotherhood of the fire department. They’re there to show respect not just for the man, but for the position and for the department,” Maumee Mayor Wagener said.
Wagener’s father Lee and his two uncles also served on the fire department with Burdo.
“My dad loved him like a brother,” Wagener said, adding that Burdo had a perpetual smile.
“Even if he would get mad at a fireman, once it was over and he got it out of his system, he had a smile on his face. I know that sounds like everyone, but with Fred he was a smiler, he had a kind heart,” he said.
Tom Wagener, the chief of emergency medical services, also worked with Burdo.
“He was real easy to get along with,” he said.
For many years Burdo and his brother Dick also owned and operated Burdo Plumbing and Heating.
He and his wife Suzanne, who would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on December 1, enjoyed travel, Stein said.
Their love for the national parks motivated the couple to travel extensively throughout the United Sates, and they traveled throughout Europe.
In addition to Stein, who is married to Dan Stein, the couple’s other children include Rebecca (Gary) Davenport, Matthew Burdo, Julie (Dave) Lenart and Peter (Jeanette) Burdo.
They also have 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
“My dad was probably most proud of his family,” Stein said. “And I’m not just saying that because it sounds good. He came from a large family and those family values carried through into raising his own family.
“He was the salt of the earth – he was just good people.”

Ice Skating Rink Added To Side Cut Metropark
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
The earth has been hollowed out and the fire pit has been built in anticipation of the new ice skating rink at Side Cut Metropark.
The only holdup for local skaters waiting to hit the ice is cold weather, explained Jim Shaw, the maintenance technician who helped design and build the rink, which is located near the sledding hill.
“We don’t want to fill it with water too soon and have the ice freeze then thaw,” he said.
Shaw hopes it will be cold enough in December for water to freeze solid enough for skaters.
“But it could be later,” he said.
When temperatures dip below freezing for several consecutive days, water from Silver Lake will be pumped into the rink, Shaw said.
In October, crews spent a week digging out the 80-by-200-foot ice rink.
“It’s an earth and mound ice rink, or a traditional setup. We didn’t line it – we’re going to let the Maumee clay do its thing,” Shaw said.
According to Scott Carpenter, public relations director for the Metroparks of the Toledo Area, maintaining the rink will be a learning process.
“We’ll have to learn as we go about what it takes to keep it frozen. The ground does remain cooler when the air temperature rises, so a day when the temperature is above freezing won’t necessarily shut us down,” he said.
A new fire pit with a concrete base and benches was also built near the rink. And a new concrete base was also added to the existing fire pit that many sledders used last year.
The Andersons and the Wagener family donated $6,000 to fund the ice rink and additional fire pit, Carpenter said.
“The Wageners hold the Al Wagener Memorial Golf Outing every year and the proceeds are used for Side Cut. Money from the family was largely responsible for the sledding hill last year,” Carpenter said.
Like the sledding hill, people can come and skate on the rink during regular park hours, said Bob Heckman, park services supervisor.
“We’re hoping this will be a huge hit. We wanted to make it big enough so recreational skaters can use one end and kids who want to play hockey can use the other. We want everyone to come and use it,” Heckman said.
According to Shaw, a portable light tower will also allow night sledding and skating.
A grant from the Metroparks Members program paid for the portable lighting, Carpenter said.
“We have extended hours at Pearson in the winter and it has been very popular. Based on what we’ve seen elsewhere, we expect it to be a huge success,” he said.
Shaw said that the sledding hill would also eventually be expanded.
“The sled hill is not done. We’d like to curve it around and add shorter areas for younger kids and make the hill bigger for older kids,” Shaw said.
For updated information on the sledding hill and ice skating rink at Side Cut Metropark, visit: www.metroparkstoledo.com.