Leo A. Klier

Leo A. Klier of Naperville since 1968 Services for Leo A. Klier, 82, will begin at 9:15 a.m. Thursday, at the Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home, 44 S. Mill St., Naperville, and will proceed to a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Raphael Church, 1215 Modaff Road, Naperville. Interment will be in Assumption Cemetery, Wheaton. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, at the funeral home. Born March 30, 1923, in Washington, Ind., he died Saturday, June 4, 2005, at his home surrounded by his nine children. Leo was a Navy veteran of World War II, serving honorably in the South Pacific and was a 1946 graduate of Notre Dame University, South Bend, Ind., where he was a two-time, first-team consensus All-American basketball player. Leo set the single season scoring record for Notre Dame in 1943-1944. Following his record setting season, Leo was called to duty and spent a year in the Navy before returning to Notre Dame for his senior year. Now affectionately referred to as "The Comeback Kid," Leo, once again, broke the team's single season scoring record and was named to the All-American team for a second time. In 1946, Leo played on the college all-star team that beat the NBL champions at the old Chicago Stadium before a record crowd. Leo was one of the first of his era to use the one-handed set shot and was lauded for his ability to make a running hook shot with either hand. Leo was recently voted a member of the Notre Dame "All Century" Team as one of the top 25 players in the 100-year basketball history of the school. He went on to play professional basketball in the NBL (now known as the NBA) with the Indianapolis Kautsky's (now the Indiana Pacers), where he was named to the "All Rookie" team in his first year. He was a member of the Kautsky team that won the "all world tournament" in 1947, the first NBL (now NBA) world championship. Leo also later played for the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (now the Detroit Pistons) and the Anderson Packers for five years. Legendary coach of the University of Kentucky, Adolph Rupp, gave Leo the nickname, "Crystal." Mr. Rupp's assessment was that, if Leo Klier was in the game, the outcome was "crystal clear." Leo was a winner. He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977. In 1952, Leo joined Amoco Oil Company as a salesman. During his 27-year career with Amoco, he was in management and training, retiring in 1979. He subsequently went into business for himself and owned a service station and car wash in Evergreen Park, Ill. Leo was a longtime member of St. Raphael Church in Naperville and a 21-year member of the choir. Leo dedicated his life to his wife and nine children. They were always first with him. He was a humble man reluctant to acknowledge the many honors and awards bestowed upon him. Leo was a coach and team player in every way, literally and figuratively and, ultimately, a man of impeccable integrity. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Nancy (nee Maynard) Klier of Naperville, whom he married May 18, 1946; nine Children, Peggy (Jerry) DePersia of Grand Rapids, Mich., Marianne Klier of Tucson, Ariz., Michael Klier of Phoenix, Ariz., Janet (Robert) Gihle of Lisle, Martha (James) Betts of Milan, Mich., Kevin (Judy) Klier of Colbert, Wash., Carol (Fred) Roth of Lisle, Daniel (Linnea) Klier of Encino, Calif. and Timothy (Mindy) Klier of Phoenix, Ariz.; twenty-one grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Leo was preceded in death by his parents, George and Pearl Klier; and eight siblings. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P.O. Box 3704, Memphis, TN 38173-0704 or a charity of the donor's choice. For information, (630) 355-0213.