Richard Paul Heil, 68, passed away peacefully Saturday, October 31, 2009, at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, KS. His survivors include the following: His wife, Gerry, of Hays, KS and her father Hop Lockhart of Norton, KS. His first wife Carol; Elder son Richard Todd and his three daughters, Michaela, Kerianne, and Madison, of Portland, CT; Younger son David Charles and his wife Lucy and their children, Jake and Emma, of Lake Oswego, OR. Younger brother David Heil, of St. Helena, CA. During his 16 year marriage to Gerry, his family grew to include Rex Chambers and his wife Cheryl and their children Austin, Casey, Cydney and Logan; Randall Chambers and his wife Julie and their children Cody and Makena, of McCook, NE; and Leanne and Steve Olsen, of Wichita, KS.

"Dick" Heil was born in Sparta, Illinois., and raised in a suburb of St. Louis, MO. He played both baseball and basketball as a boy. He graduated from Ferguson High School in 1959. His college attendance was as follows: undergraduate at Fort Hays State, Masters Degree at the University of Iowa, and PhD. at the University of Kansas in Political Science. His career spanned 41 years as an instructor, teacher, department head, and numerous administrative positions at Fort Hays State University, golf associations in the state of Kansas, and local civic groups. He became truly a "professional professor." Although he remained a sports fan and loyal K.U. supporter the rest of his life, his great passion became golf. He was an active member and golfer at Smoky Hill Country Club until the end of his life.

Dick had a kind, gentle nature and his quiet, genuine character endeared him to many of his friends. Most of all he was a devoted family man as brother, husband, father, and grandfather.

Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 7 at the Robben Center on the campus of Fort Hays State University.

Memorials may be sent to the University of Kansas Endowment Association, 3599 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS, 66160. Please indicate your desire for the memorial to be directed to the Department of Neurology for research on Myasthenia gravis.