Nov. 6, 2015

Link to Pheanis' Obituary

Jack Pheanis, a member of the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame, passed away on Friday, Nov. 6, at the age of 87. Pheanis was a varsity letterwinner in two sports at NIU and went on to spend 46 years coaching Huskie Athletics, including 37 seasons as head men’s golf coach, while also serving as an assistant with the Huskie football, men’s basketball and men’s swimming teams.

An all-league halfback at Bloom Township High School in Chicago Heights, Pheanis came to NIU in 1950 and was a three-year letterwinner on the NIU football team, leading the Huskies in rushing as a senior, while also earning a letter in golf in 1952. Pheanis graduated from NIU with his bachelor’s degree in education in 1953 and his master’s in education in 1955. In 1954-55, Pheanis served as a graduate assistant as head freshman coach for the Huskie football and men’s basketball teams.

Following his graduation, Pheanis spent time as a coach at Warren Township High School and McHenry High School.

Returning to NIU in 1957-58 as an assistant football and men’s basketball coach, Pheanis also took over the NIU men’s golf program as interim coach for three seasons. From 1957-60, Pheanis lead the Huskies to the 1959 NCAA College Division Midwest Regional title and the 1960 Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference crown.

Working under head coach Howard Fletcher, Pheanis coached the NIU offensive and defense backs and was instrumental in designing NIU’s famed spread offense. During his time on the football staff, NIU won three IIAC titles (1963-65), made three Mineral Water Bowl appearances (1962-63, 1965) and won the College Division National Championship (1963).

In 1968, Pheanis took over the Huskie men’s golf team for the second time, guiding the program until his retirement in 2002. In his second tenure leading the golf program, Pheanis mentored a pair of All-Americans, Mick Soli (1974-76) and Greg Dick (1978, ’79), as well as four NCAA qualifiers: Dick Suesens (1972), Soli (1974-76), Dick (1979) and Kelly Holmes (1985). The Huskies captured six league championships, winning the Mid-American Conference in 1976 and 1985, and the Mid-Continent Conference in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1994. Pheanis also guided 17 all-conference performers and was named conference coach of the year on six occasions.

Pheanis also mentored three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American Dave Emanuelson (1998-2000). Emanuelson (1999-2000), Tim Giger (1987) and Mike Suhre (1999-2000) also earned Collegiate Golf Coaches Association Academic All-America honors.

A long-time member of the Collegiate Golf Coaches Association, Pheanis served a four-year term on the NCAA men’s golf selection committee for District IV. From 1982-86, Pheanis doubled as the men’s and women’s golf coach.

During his remarkable tenure at NIU, Pheanis was enshrined in the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame four times. In 1988, Pheanis was inducted as an individual, he also entered the Hall of Fame as an offensive backfield coach for the 1963 NCAA College Division National Championship football team in 1986, as a starting fullback on the 1951 IIAC Championship football team in 1991 and as head coach of the 1976 MAC Championship men’s golf team in 1997.

In addition to coaching, Pheanis also served as an assistant professor (1960-70), director of intermurals (1957-58) and Varsity Club coordinator (1957-60) during his time at NIU. A U.S. Army veteran, Pheanis was a corporal with the Combat Engineers from 1946-48.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, the former Ruth Benson of DeKalb; sons, Mark (Terri) of Geneva and Mike (Shawn) of Gulfport, Florida; stepdaughters, Kathryn (Lane) DeVries of Arcata, California, and Sue (Curt) Peterson of Rockford; stepson, Brian (Katie) Hart of Byron; grandchildren, Erin Gidley, Sean and Kasie Pheanis, Alaina Ginsberg, Jackie Maxwell, Natalie and Hannah Hart, Steven and Samantha Bradley, Amber Solar, and Tony and Sarah DeVries; great-grandchildren, Riley Gidley and Ava Solar; and sister, Jeannine Gilfoy from Olympia Fields.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and stepson, Stephen Hart.

Friends, family and Huskies are invited to attend the Memorial Mass for Coach Pheanis at 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 321 Pine Street, DeKalb. Burial will follow at Fairview Park Cemetery, DeKalb, with full military honors. Following the burial, a life celebration will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at River Heights Golf Course Clubhouse at 1020 Sharon Drive, DeKalb.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Jack Pheanis Scholarship at NIU, sent in care of Anderson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 605, 2011 S. Fourth St., DeKalb, IL 60115.