- HOME
- NEWS
- SPORTS
- BUSINESS
- FYI/LIVING
- ENTERTAINMENT
- OPINION
- JOBS
- CARS
- REAL ESTATE
- RENTALS
- CLASSIFIEDS
- SHOPPING
- EXTRAS
Posted on Wed, Jun. 17, 2009 03:51 PM
Big crowd in Lawrence celebrates life of 'Dr. Bob' Frederick
More News
LAWRENCE | Bob Frederick's oldest son, Brad, said the family worried about how many people would attend his father's public memorial service on Wednesday afternoon at the University of Kansas' Lied Center.
The Frederick family's worry, of course, turned out to be misplaced. A crowd that looked to be in the neighborhood of 2,000 showed up to pay their respects to Frederick, affectionately known as "Dr. Bob," and celebrate the life of the former KU basketball player and athletic director.
"This is a tribute to him," Brad Frederick said during a speech from the podium. Bob Frederick, an avid bicyclist, died Friday night of injuries sustained in a biking accident on Thursday night, but the consensus among the gathered friends and family was that he had most certainly "finished the race." During Frederick's eulogy, the Rev. Peter Luckey described him as a man who aspired to live "a life that matters."
Frederick served as KU athletic director from 1987 to 2001 and was the second-longest-tenured athletic director in school history (Phog Allen led the department for 19 years). From 1995 to 1996, Frederick served as the chairman of the NCAA men's basketball committee. He is most known for hiring a little-known assistant coach named Roy Williams to replace Larry Brown in 1988. Williams, now a two-time national championship winner as the coach at North Carolina, was in attendance on Wednesday, along with Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings (a former KU assistant under Williams), Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder, KU football coach Mark Mangino and KU basketball coach Bill Self.
Posted on Wed, Jun. 17, 2009 03:51 PM
@Nyx.CommentBody@