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In Memoriam

Stephen Donald "Steve" Naert - Class Of 1944

Stephen Donald "Steve" Naert, son of Rene Pierre (1881-1955) and Anna (Colby) (1897-1955) Naert, was born 23 April 1926 Fenton, Genesee County, Michigan.  He graduated in 1944 from Okemos High School and entered, August 1944, the US Army Air Corp.  Steve married Eugenia Mary Hufnagel 21 October 1950 East Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan.  The couple had four children; 2 boys, 2 girls.  Steve built a career in law enforcement, retiring in 1981 as Police Chief of the East Lansing Police Department.

Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Wednesday 29 November 1972

Stephen Naert, who once "rattled" doors as a part-time foot cop; while a college student, was named East Lansing police chief today by City Manager John Patriache.

Rarely without a smile, the amiable Naert officially replaces former chief Charles Pegg, who retired last Sept. 15 after 33 years with the department.

A 25-year department veteran himself, Naert, 47, has held every rank in the 50-member East Lansing agency, including acting chief since Pegg's retirement.

Patriache said he selected Naert for the job "solely upon his qualifications," noting that he was "by far the best of over 60 applicants from around the country" who sought the position.

"Chief Naert is as well qualified as many of the applicants and better qualified than most," Patriache said.

Patriarch's decision does not need council approval, and future selection of a deputy chief - a job Naert held under Pegg for three years - is expected to be made by Naert with Patriarch's confirmation.

Citing Naert's strongest asset as "his ability to work with people," the city manager said he looked for a chief "who could relate with the various segments of our community from a highly sensitive position."

He described Naert as "very amiable, even tempered, patient, dedicated and knowledgeable."

Active in both police and community activities, the new chief is well known as a polygraph expert (with the highest certification granted by the American Polygraph Association), and teacher and lecturer on law enforcement topics at several Michigan colleges and universities.

The chief is a native of Okemos, attended Michigan State University and served in the Army Air Corps during World war II.  He earned money attending college as "a student cop" at MSU, and after two years switched his interests from engineering to police work.

Unaware of Patriarch's decision until late Tuesday, Naert said it is too soon for him to map out his new administration.  He did say, "however, he planned to continue "the excellent police traditions" set by Pegg.

"He was my teacher, and he's the best around," Naert said.

Patriache said his choice of Naert included personal talks with local and area police officials, and citizens within the community, "all of whom expressed a lot of support for Steve."

Under city policy for department heads, Naert will be required to move from his Lansing home at 1842 Fletcher, to East Lansing.  Naert and his wife, Eugenia, have two daughters, Kathy, a registered nurse at Dartmouth (N.H) College, and Linda, at home, and two sons, Stephen, a Lansing Police Department cadet, and Robert, a senior at Lansing Catholic Central High School.

Eugenia, born 28 December 1927, died 24 July 2001.  Steve died 1 April 2002.  Steve and Eugenia were interred Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Lansing, Ingham County.

Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Thursday 4 April 2002

FORMER POLICE CHIEF, 75, DIES

East Lansing - Stephen Naert, the former police chief of East Lansing and a 34-year veteran of that force, died Monday at the age of 75.

Naert, an avid fisherman and hunter, began work as a police officer at the East Lansing Police Department in 1946.  Before that, he worked as an officer at the Michigan State College police department while he was a student.

"When he stated at E.L.P.D. here was only a chief, a lieutenant and four officers," East Lansing Deputy Chief Tom Wibert said.  "It was a real small town cop shop."

Naert's daughter Linda Hoesl of Grand Ledge describes her father as one who was "willing to help anybody," and was proud of his police career.

"And he was a great family man," she said Wednesday.  "He'd always put his family first."

Naert, a World War II veteran with the Army Air Corps, became police chief in 1972.

In the last couple of months, Wibert welcomed Naert back to East Lansing to teach new officers about how police work was done in the 1940's and 1950's.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 955 Alton Road, East Lansing.