Rutgers Remembers Donald B. "Bud" Heilman
Apr 27 | General
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Donald B. "Bud" Heilman, long-time associate athletic director and former football coach at Rutgers, died in his sleep in his home in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, on April 12, 2022, surrounded by family and friends. He leaves behind a legacy of guidance, advice, support and friendship to the thousands with whom he came into contact. He is predeceased by his wife of 62 years, and survived by his seven children, 14 grandchildren, six great grandchildren and their extended families. He was 97 years old.
Born in York, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 5, 1924, Heilman graduated from William Penn High School in December of 1942. He was activated for military service in April 1943, and served as a radioman aboard the USS Walke, DD723, during World War II, seeing combat in both the European and Pacific Theaters of Operation, including Normandy, Cherbourg, the Battle of the Philippines, Layte, Mindoro and Linguayen Gulf, where his ship was struck by a Japanese Kamikaze. He was present at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo in 1945.
As a returning veteran, Heilman attended West Chester State Teachers College on the GI Bill, met his future wife, played football and graduated in 1950. After graduation, they were married and he began his coaching and teaching career at Downingtown High School in Pennsylvania. Known to all as Bud, his next stop was A.I. Dupont High School in Wilmington, Delaware, followed by an appointment as an assistant coach and assistant professor of social studies teaching at Bloomsburg State Teachers College of Pennsylvania in 1958.
Heilman was appointed head football coach and assistant professor of social studies teaching at Kutztown State University in 1960, where he remained until taking a coaching job at Rutgers in 1966. During his time at Kutztown, he earned his master's degree in history from Temple University. His teams were known in the press as "Heilman's Herd," and his players, students and colleagues continue to meet regularly and support a scholarship with that name at Kutztown University.
Heilman's career at Rutgers started as a line coach for the football team on head coach John Bateman's staff. In 1971, he was appointed associate athletic director, a post that he held until his retirement in 1993. He was instrumental in creating and expanding women's sports at Rutgers under Title IX, and continued to serve the athletic division as a part-time employee until moving back to Berks County in Pennsylvania in 2008.
Heilman was also heavily involved in summer camping, serving as the head counselor of Camp Indian Acres in Fryeburg, Maine, from 1965 to 1974, where he and Nancy spent summers meeting children, parents and counselors from all over the world. One of those connections led directly to being hired as a director of summer programs at the Catalina Island Marine Institute in California, where he and Nancy worked upon his retirement from Rutgers until 2001.
Heilman was a communicant and lectern at The Immaculate Conception RC Church in Spotswood, New Jersey, for 42 years and a member of St. Ignatius Loyola in Reading, Pennsylvania, for 14 years. He was a member of the South River (NJ) Lions Club from 1994 to 2008. Among his many honors, he received the Distinguished American Award from the William Denny-Rutgers Football Letterwinners Chapter of The National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame, and is an inductee of the West Chester University Football Hall of Fame.
With home addresses in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maine and New Jersey, Bud and Nancy were known for their warm and welcoming home filled with boisterous children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, friends, colleagues and relatives from all over the world. He is survived by (1) daughter Donna and her husband James Hamer of Somerset, New Jersey; (2) son Dr. Donald C. Heilman and his wife Diane, nee Matts, of East Brunswick, New Jersey, their son Jeffery, and son Travis and his wife Marta, nee Matera; (3) daughter Jayne and her husband Robert Dieruff of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, their daughter Alison of Baltimore, and daughter Sarah George, her husband Timothy George of Landenberg, Pennsylvania, and their daughters Ryleigh and Madison; (4) daughter Kristie and her husband Bruce Strauss of Lincoln, Delaware, their son Nicholas of Albuquerque, and daughter Morgan of Belmar, New Jersey ; (5) daughter Jamie and her husband Thomas Keenan of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and their son Craig of Lancaster, daughter Katie of Philadelphia, and daughter Ryan Shuler and her husband Nicholas of Oxford, Pennsylvania, their daughters Sophia, Ava and son Miles; (6) daughter Mary and her husband Dr. Mark Levenberg of Souderton, Pennsylvania , their son Max and daughters Mia and Mara; and (7) daughter Amy and her husband Russell DelRosario of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania and their son Jake, daughter Jessica Herrera, her husband Santiago and their son Odin.
Heilman is predeceased by his sister Jean Throne and her husband Richard of York, PA and his sister Barbara Heath of Lewistown, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his brother-in-law Robert Heath, his nieces Debbie Throne Conn, Rebecca Heath Deljanovan, Karolyn Heath Rayman, and his nephews Richard Throne and Michael Heath.
Born in York, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 5, 1924, Heilman graduated from William Penn High School in December of 1942. He was activated for military service in April 1943, and served as a radioman aboard the USS Walke, DD723, during World War II, seeing combat in both the European and Pacific Theaters of Operation, including Normandy, Cherbourg, the Battle of the Philippines, Layte, Mindoro and Linguayen Gulf, where his ship was struck by a Japanese Kamikaze. He was present at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo in 1945.
As a returning veteran, Heilman attended West Chester State Teachers College on the GI Bill, met his future wife, played football and graduated in 1950. After graduation, they were married and he began his coaching and teaching career at Downingtown High School in Pennsylvania. Known to all as Bud, his next stop was A.I. Dupont High School in Wilmington, Delaware, followed by an appointment as an assistant coach and assistant professor of social studies teaching at Bloomsburg State Teachers College of Pennsylvania in 1958.
Heilman was appointed head football coach and assistant professor of social studies teaching at Kutztown State University in 1960, where he remained until taking a coaching job at Rutgers in 1966. During his time at Kutztown, he earned his master's degree in history from Temple University. His teams were known in the press as "Heilman's Herd," and his players, students and colleagues continue to meet regularly and support a scholarship with that name at Kutztown University.
Heilman's career at Rutgers started as a line coach for the football team on head coach John Bateman's staff. In 1971, he was appointed associate athletic director, a post that he held until his retirement in 1993. He was instrumental in creating and expanding women's sports at Rutgers under Title IX, and continued to serve the athletic division as a part-time employee until moving back to Berks County in Pennsylvania in 2008.
Heilman was also heavily involved in summer camping, serving as the head counselor of Camp Indian Acres in Fryeburg, Maine, from 1965 to 1974, where he and Nancy spent summers meeting children, parents and counselors from all over the world. One of those connections led directly to being hired as a director of summer programs at the Catalina Island Marine Institute in California, where he and Nancy worked upon his retirement from Rutgers until 2001.
Heilman was a communicant and lectern at The Immaculate Conception RC Church in Spotswood, New Jersey, for 42 years and a member of St. Ignatius Loyola in Reading, Pennsylvania, for 14 years. He was a member of the South River (NJ) Lions Club from 1994 to 2008. Among his many honors, he received the Distinguished American Award from the William Denny-Rutgers Football Letterwinners Chapter of The National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame, and is an inductee of the West Chester University Football Hall of Fame.
With home addresses in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maine and New Jersey, Bud and Nancy were known for their warm and welcoming home filled with boisterous children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, friends, colleagues and relatives from all over the world. He is survived by (1) daughter Donna and her husband James Hamer of Somerset, New Jersey; (2) son Dr. Donald C. Heilman and his wife Diane, nee Matts, of East Brunswick, New Jersey, their son Jeffery, and son Travis and his wife Marta, nee Matera; (3) daughter Jayne and her husband Robert Dieruff of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, their daughter Alison of Baltimore, and daughter Sarah George, her husband Timothy George of Landenberg, Pennsylvania, and their daughters Ryleigh and Madison; (4) daughter Kristie and her husband Bruce Strauss of Lincoln, Delaware, their son Nicholas of Albuquerque, and daughter Morgan of Belmar, New Jersey ; (5) daughter Jamie and her husband Thomas Keenan of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and their son Craig of Lancaster, daughter Katie of Philadelphia, and daughter Ryan Shuler and her husband Nicholas of Oxford, Pennsylvania, their daughters Sophia, Ava and son Miles; (6) daughter Mary and her husband Dr. Mark Levenberg of Souderton, Pennsylvania , their son Max and daughters Mia and Mara; and (7) daughter Amy and her husband Russell DelRosario of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania and their son Jake, daughter Jessica Herrera, her husband Santiago and their son Odin.
Heilman is predeceased by his sister Jean Throne and her husband Richard of York, PA and his sister Barbara Heath of Lewistown, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his brother-in-law Robert Heath, his nieces Debbie Throne Conn, Rebecca Heath Deljanovan, Karolyn Heath Rayman, and his nephews Richard Throne and Michael Heath.
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