*Related:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Veteran robbed, killed on way to deposit money from benefit
###
Army veteran William “Bill” Burtner survived Vietnam and dedicated his life to helping other veterans.
On Monday, Burtner was about to enter a Midlothian bank to deposit money the south suburb’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2580 had raised during a benefit.
He never made it inside.
Burtner, 65, was assaulted and robbed outside the bank. He died Wednesday night at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
An autopsy today concluded Burtner died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease and fractured ribs from the assault, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. It ruled the death a homicide.
Burtner was about to deposit proceeds from a VFW benefit last weekend for Chicago-area World War II veterans so they could visit a war memorial in Washington, D.C., according to Katherine Foss, a family friend.
She said Burtner, who was elected as a commander for the post, was supposed to go to the VFW later in the day to help pack up belongings, such as clothing and other donations, for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
On Monday, Burtner was entering AJ Smith Federal Savings Bank, 14757 S. Cicero Ave., when two men attacked him in a strong-arm robbery, said Midlothian Police Detective Sgt. Steve Zamiar.
Why wouldn’t they want to have the Olympics there?