Don "Coach" Laketa

I went to HF when coach Laketa was the greatest basketball coach HF ever had I had him with Rob Kapaldo as students in his gym class a great man and even greater leader of young men Rest In Peace my gym class coach

I remember him as a P/E teacher and basketball coach at H-F when I attended in the early 1970s. RIP

Don 'Coach' Laketa was a close friend of mine. I ran the H-F Park District Boys Basketball Program for over 20 years and coached the H-F Varsity Basketball Team in the summer leagues for many years. I worked closely with Coach as he built the H-F High School Boys Basketball Program and took the 1985 team downstate. It was awesome that he got to see H-F High School win the Class 4A Illinois State Title for boys basketball a few weeks ago.

Don Laketa was so much more than a...

I taught with Don at HF where he was highly respected as a teacher, coach and leader.
Deepest sympathy to Don's family. It was an honor to know him.

Kay (and entire Laketa family),
I’m so sorry to hear of your dad’s passing. What an HF icon he was! Not only was he my best buddy’s dad, and I got to see him in his home setting many times, he was my gym teacher at HF. He actually taught me how to play golf! I just remember him as such a fine gentlemen, even-tempered, and so kind. In class, he always called me “Tinder”. When at your home, I always remember his big desk, and all the cool plaques and pictures that hung around it. It was...

Kay (and entire Laketa family), I´m so sorry to hear of your dad´s passing. What an HF icon he was! Not only was he my best buddy´s dad, and I got to see him in his home setting many times, he was my gym teacher at HF. He actually taught me how to play golf! I just remember him as such a fine gentlemen, even-tempered, and so kind. In class, he always called me "Tinder". When at your home, I always remember his big desk, and all the cool plaques and pictures that hung around it. It was like a...

Don was an outstanding individual who got along with everyone! He was not only a great basketball player and coach but a low handicapper in golf. A number of us had a league going mainly retired faculty for the last 24 years or so. We had a Bridgeman Open near the end of the golf season. Don would go around town asking donations from businesses for gifts and at the open would give each player a gift with the option of saving the newspaper that the gift was enclosed in to be used again next...

Parker and Family - so sorry for your loss. God’s blessings on you.