Bob Kay

When Bob Kay came to the plate for his final at bat on January 18, 2011, in the bottom of the ninth at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, he lined out to George Brett at third base. Bobs baseball career began 77 years ago in Danville on June 21, 1933, and continued as he completed his spring training at Danville High School and William Jewell College. The retired roster of his team included his parents, Fred W. and Marguerite Stickler Kay; his sisters, June Davis and Irene Hickman. Still in the lineup are his nieces Susan and Karen Hickman, his nephew Mike Hickman, his wife Martha LaFrenz Kay, his daughter Nancy York and her husband, Don, Bobs Designated Hitter, Bobs daughter Sara Youhas, and the MVPs of his team, grandchildren Jordan York, Wesley York, Andrew Youhas, Kimberlyn Youhas, Shelby Youhas, and Haley Youhas. The highlights of Bobs career include thirty-one years as social studies teacher in District 118, twenty years as baseball coach, and five years as Athletic Director. He was elected president of the Illinois High School Coaches Association in 1974 and was named Illinois Baseball Coach of the year in 1976. Bob was president of the Danville Education Association in 1985, a member of the District 118 School Board from 1989-1993, and was honored on the District 118 Sports Wall of Fame. The Bob Kay Sports Spectacular was a regular feature of WDANs Saturday Morning Sports Talk. Along with Scott Eisenhauer and Fowler Connell, Bob was member of Mike Hulveys A-Team, which broadcast play-by-play and color for Danville High School basketball and football. In the off season, Bobs volunteer activities included tutorial work, Red Vesting, and driving for Meals on Wheels. He enjoyed golf with his buddies and movies with Martha. He loved to read and do cross-word puzzles. But nothing in the world, not even the All Star Game or the World Series in Yankee Stadium, meant more to Bob Kay than his grandchildren, and their accomplishments. A Celebration of Bobs Life will be held at 2:00 pm, Sunday, January 23, 2011 at Sunset Funeral Home & Cremation Center, a Life Celebration Home 3940 N. Vermilion St. Danville, IL with Pastor Hank Anderson officiating. A memorial visitation will be held from 4-8 Saturday evening at the funeral home. Bobs team requests that instead of flowers, memorials be sent to: The Little Star Foundation: Helping Children in Need, 256 Rancho Milagro Way, Hesperus, CO 81326 or www.littlestar.org or Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research, Church Street Station, PO Box 780 NY, NY 10008-0780 or www.michaeljfox.org. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com