Victor Heyliger Obituary

Victor Heyliger passed away at home on October 4, 2006. Born September 26th, 1912 in Roxbury, MA., he was preceded in death by parents, Theodore and Bertha Heyliger; wife Ruth; sister, Pauline; brothers: Almon, Fred "Moose" and Howard. His four children: Susan Handy [David], Vicki Skoog [Ted], Don and Doug Heyliger survive him. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Amy Watterson, John Heyliger, David Mitschler, Marka Kettle and Elizabeth Swanson; seven great grandchildren; and brothers: Raymond and Theodore. He spent his childhood playing hockey on Crosby's Pond across from the family farm on Cambridge Turnpike in Concord, MA. Vic went on to play prep school hockey at Tilton and Lawrence Academies before heading to Ann Arbor, MI to attend and play for the University of Michigan. Prior to beginning his coaching career at the University of Illinois, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks for two seasons. He later returned to his alma mater to head up the hockey program and led Michigan to the first NCAA Division I National Championship in 1948. His teams went on to win six NCAA National Championships. During the off-season, he owned and operated The B-4 Ranch For Boys located in Cooke City, MT. In 1957 he moved his family to Colorado Springs. He co- owned the Denver and Colorado Bench Advertising Companies. He also co-owned The Red Lantern Restaurant and Old Homestead Museum in Cripple Creek. He later returned to coaching by overseeing the startup hockey program at the United States Air Force Academy. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1974. He continued to help develop his beloved game many years into his retirement from coaching. Vic loved to sing, fish, entertain his many friends and chew his Wolf Crooks Cigar. A Memorial Service will be held at The Broadmoor Community Church, 315 Lake Avenue, on Friday, October 13 at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Colorado Springs Independence Center, 21 E. Las Animas, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.