McKendree University Athletics

Dean Heitman ’55 is commended not only for his excellent ability as a basketball player, but also because of his high moral standards and hard work ethic that he has displayed on and off the court.
Dean excelled in defense and rebounding, and enjoyed blocking and screening for other shooters. He was a major part of the 1954 McKendree team that traveled to New Mexico as the underdogs in a 16-teamtournament. To everyone’s surprise, they lost the championship game by only a few points. While attending McKendree, Dean worked at a grocery store in the morning, attended classes and basketball practice, and then went back to the store in the evening.

Dean married Suzie Harding and they have two sons, Ken (wife Kelly) and Kurt (wife Natalie), and three grandchildren, Cody 8, Paul 6, and Dana 4. Dean recently retired after being a teacher at George Rogers Clark Jr. High School in East St. Louis. He was on the O’Fallon High School Board of Education for 30 years and for the last 30 years has been-and still is-a trustee on the O’Fallon/Shiloh Valley/Caseyville Fire Protection District.