Burt grew up in the Kansas City area and lived in Union Hill. He attended Lathrop Poly Technical Trade School then graduated from Manuel High & Vocational School as an apprentice in Boys Commercial Art in 1942 and later joined the 8th Air Force, 2nd Air Division, 453rd Bomb Group in 1945. He flew 30 missions out of England during WWII as a turret gunner on a B-24 Liberator plane named Partial Payment. After leaving active service he served 3 years in the enlisted Reserve Corps and later became a Commercial Artist. He owned Embassy Studio where he employed 13 artists and produced the Western Auto catalog for 32 years along with work for many other companies such as H.D. Lee and Katz Drug. His career lasted over 60 years. In 1972 he invented the Ladder Help Mate and along with his sister Betty, they distributed units to as far away as Hawaii. Burt was a proud lifetime member of the Kansas City mother club of SERTOMA International and served as President in 1990. Burt not only survived the War, but the Hyatt Regency disaster in 1981 and the Kansas City flood of 1993. His favorite pastimes were winning at the Casinos, golfing; attending monthly Commemorative Air Force meetings and spending weekends at his cabin in the Sunrise Beach area at the Lake of the Ozarks. He also traveled to each coast of the U.S. in his 1974 Air Stream.
Burt is survived by his children: Rita (Kenneth) Keifer II, Barbara Hunter, Constance Madison-Walsh, Deborah (Ronald) Simms-Watson and David Madison. He leaves behind 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren along with 4 nephews as well as his close military friends in The Heritage League, 8th Historical Society and Heart of America Commemorative Air Force. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Eunice (Kenyon) Madison, his wife Mary (Seitz) Madison, his brother Donald Madison, sister Betty Reo, son-in-law Michael Hunter and longtime companion Margaret Strecker.
To all who thank him for his service he will say, "I'm no Hero, I am a Survivor." Those who learn about his time during the war say he definitely was a Hero. His life touched so many; young students in high school, different clubs within the city and many special World War related events around town where he often shared his life's story.
A Public Visitation and celebration of his legacy will be held from 12:00pm to 1:00pm on Saturday, March 20 at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO. A Private Memorial Service will be livestreamed at 1:00pm on Saturday, March 20. For a link to this service, more information and to leave condolences, please visit: www.mtmoriah.net.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library: www.2ndair.orq.uk
