Greg Bott, Former Plainfield Park District Director, Dies At 61

PLAINFIELD, IL — Longtime Plainfield resident and retired Plainfield Park District Executive Director Gregory B. Bott has died at age 61. Bott, a native of Brighton, Illinois, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday at Edward Hospital in Naperville after reportedly suffering a stroke.

Bott worked for the Plainfield Park District for 32 years prior to his retirement in 2013 and had been executive director since 1985.

In 2016, the park district renamed Renwick Community Park, 24550 W. Renwick Road, in his honor. The park was rechristened as Gregory B. Bott Community Park in honor of his years of service "and integral role in the acquisition and development of the park," the park district said at the time. A recreation center is currently under construction at the site.

An obituary for Bott said he grew up in Brighton and was a 1974 graduate of Piasa High School. In 1978, he earned dual degrees in Park & Recreation and Education from North Central College in Naperville.

Greg began his career with the Naperville Park District in a maintenance position and in 1981 joined the Plainfield Park District in the same capacity. He worked his way up to become Executive Director in 1985, and served until his retirement in May 2013. Greg always believed in the role that parks and recreation played in the overall well-being of a community. In his three decades as director, he played a huge part in making sure parks were integrated into Plainfield’s development from a small farming community to a suburban village of 30,000-plus people. Throughout Greg’s time as executive director, the district was able to cut taxes on several occasions, and Greg made sure the district was financially solvent with adequate staffing to maintain great programs.

Bott was a member of the Plainfield Lions Club and attended Plainfield United Methodist Church and Three Rivers Church in Plainfield, according to his obituary, which calls him:

Beloved fiancé of Misty Bartlett of Plainfield, loving father of Bryan and Austin Bott, loving step-father of Nina and Nathan Bartlett, devoted son of Luriel (nee Stublefield) and the late Eugene Bott, dear brother of Bob (Bev) Bott of Brighton, Kathy (the late Rocco Goins) Bott of Brighton, Mary Jane Bott of Brighton and the late John (Sheila) Bott, fond nephew, cousin, uncle, great-uncle and friend of many including Mindy Gerrietts.

Park board president Mary Kay Ludemann said she was shocked and saddened by news of Bott's death. She said she and Bott remained friends after his retirement.

"For me, personally, I'm going to miss him," she said. "His legacy is overseeing the park district grow from a small, rural community's park district to what Plainfield has become today. He will always be remembered and honored for that."

Ludemann said her heart goes out to Bott's loved ones. "My thoughts are with his family, his sons and his fiancee," she said, adding that Bott had recently become engaged.

Former park board commissioner Larry Newton, who now serves as a Village of Plainfield trustee, called Bott's death " a shock."

"It's a tremendous loss to the community," Newton said. "He dedicated his life to Plainfield."

Visitation for Bott is slated for 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Overman-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 15219 S. Joliet Road in Plainfield.

Additional visitation is scheduled for 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 15 at Warner-Targhetta Funeral Home, 501 W. Center St. in Brighton, followed by interment at Miles Station Cemetery according to the Friedrich-Jones website.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Bott's memory can be made to: Friends of the Plainfield Park District Foundation, Recreation/Administration Center, 23729 W. Ottawa St., Plainfield, IL 60544, (815) 436-8812; or Plainfield Lions Charities, P.O. Box 141, Plainfield, IL 60544.