Scott Heidel

Scott Heidel, 56, Rockford, passed away from a heart attack Thursday, December 09, 2010, in the arms of his loving wife, Kady. He was born August 19, 1954, in Maquoketa, Iowa, the son of George and Dorothy (Cheney) Heidel. Scott was raised in Cherry Valley, and lived most of his life in the Rockford area. But no matter where Scott was in life, his heart was always in Glen Lake, MI., where he spent the best summers of his life. He married Kady Derry in Rockford on November 30, 2002. Scott was a 1972 graduate of Guilford High School where he played varsity basketball and football. He began his coaching career in his teens at Ray Meyer's basketball camp in Three Lakes, WI as a shooting coach. He attended University of Illinois in Champaign and was a proud member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He graduated with honors from Northern Illinois University with a degree in History. Scott began his career as a History teacher and then as a manager with Rockford Painting and Decorating Co. associated with Odling Construction Co. He later became a financial planner with Merrill Lynch and ultimately became an independent investment manager and financial planner. Scott loved to play his guitar, read, and to work crossword puzzles. He was an avid outdoorsman, and especially loved playing golf. His passion was for playing, coaching and teaching basketball for boys and girls at all levels. Scott volunteered at Carpenter's Place in Rockford and at Louverture Cleary School in Haiti, where he built a basketball court for the students. Scott was a totally selfless person and lived to help others. He was most proud of the fact that his children found him to be their guide, mentor, and truest friend. His last gift was to be a tissue and cornea donor so that others may have better lives. Everyone had a friend in Scott, whether they had met him before or not. Survived by his wife, Kady; sons, Navy Lt. JG, Rick Heidel, presently serving aboard a nuclear submarine near Guam, David Heidel of Peoria, and Jeff (fiancée, Emily Blythe) Heidel of Champaign, and their mother, Peg Tulley of Chattanooga, TN; step daughters, Whitney Waldsmith, a student at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, MN and Julia Waldsmith, a student at the University of Illinois in Urbana; sister, Helen (Dave) Campbell of Glen Lake, MI, brothers, Mike (Monika) Heidel and Bill Heidel, both of Glen Lake, MI. And Jeff (Dawn) Heidel of Traverse City, MI, many nieces and nephews and his friends at Rudy's Cigars, who were like his brothers. Predeceased by his parents and a sister, Cora Heidel.Memorial services will be 7:30pm, Wednesday, December 15, 2010, at Fitzgerald Funeral Home and Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Rd. Rockford, IL 61108. Memorial visitation will be from 4:30pm until 7:30pm on Wednesday at the funeral home. To