Hall of Fame Libertyville High School coach dies

Although Robert "Bob" Tunnicliff retired from Libertyville High School after a distinguished career as a football coach and the first athletic director in 1986, he never really went away.

"He still, after retirement, loved Libertyville High School athletics," said current Athletic Director Briant Kelly.

Tunnicliff, 90, died Friday, Nov. 21, at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. His funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Lawrence Episcopal Church, 125 W. Church St. in Libertyville.

He moved from downstate Havana to Libertyville in 1954 to become the high school's head varsity football coach and its first athletic director. He retired in 1986.

Tunnicliff, who had a 85-48-11 overall coaching record and three North Suburban Conference titles with Libertyville, was inducted into the Illinois Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1995. Some of his coaching highlights came at the expense of Barrington High School.

"Probably the thing I remember most vividly was that we beat Barrington four years in a row," Tunnicliff said in his Hall of Fame acceptance speech. "At least three of those years - maybe all of them - Barrington was undefeated except for us."

Tunnicliff landed in the Lake County High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

Kelly remembered how Tunnicliff enjoyed watching Wildcats football from the press box in retirement. Kelly said he regards it as "quite an honor" to have the same Libertyville High athletic director job that Tunnicliff held.

Tunnicliff is survived by his children, Tom and Amy. His wife, Bette, died in 1992.