Terry Lane Heavilon

Terry Lane Heavilon passed away January 18, 2025, after a courageous three-year fight against melanoma. Growing up in Jefferson, Indiana, he was born July 2, 1948, the son of Jim and Deloris Heavilon.

From his early childhood, Terry was interested in sports, favoring basketball the most. A 1966 graduate of Clinton Prairie High School, he participated in basketball, track, baseball, and football, earning 14 athletic letters throughout high school. After graduation, he attended Indiana State University, playing basketball his freshman year, working hard for a spot on the Sycamores team as a walk-on.  (Later in life,  he joked that he was a “2S” man: receiving a Suit and a Seat that year!) Terry earned a Bachelor's Degree in HPER with a minor in math from ISU, where he was a proud member of Theta Chi fraternity. He added a Master's degree in science education from IU.  In 1970, he began his teaching and coaching career at Lakeland School Corporation in northeastern Indiana, coaching junior high basketball and football, as well as assistant high school baseball. Terry and wife Susan (Wheat) moved to Kokomo, IN in 1972 where both were employed by Northwestern School Corporation. He taught junior high science and coached basketball at various levels, assistant track, and assistant baseball.   From 1978 through 1981, Terry moved to the small college level, becoming the men’s assistant basketball coach at Carson Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Moving back to Indiana in 1981, he became men’s basketball coach at Manchester College in North Manchester, In. Other duties he assumed while there were athletic director, PERC building coordinator, and golf coach.   In 1987 a move to Peru, Indiana as assistant basketball coach resulted in his eventual position as the head basketball coach in 1994. He retired from teaching and coaching in 2007, allowing him many hours of golfing enjoyment at the Muni with lifelong friend Doug Muzzillo, and special colleagues Archie Wiltshire and Tom Gorseline.  Known as a no-nonsense disciplinarian, both as a coach and a father, his “tough love” philosophy resulted in appreciative adults as evidenced by the recent kind words of those he taught.

Surviving are his wife Susan of 55 years; daughter Melissa Wiley(Jerry),  Indianapolis; son Brad, Kokomo, IN; daughter Lindsey Daugherty(Jeremy), Peru, IN; brother Larry (Ronn Frizado) Indianapolis; and 5 grandchildren: Lauren Seymour (Justin), Connor Wiley, Aiden Heavilon, Keira and Justy Wiley, as well as many cousins,  nieces, and nephews.

Memorials may be made to the Vitas Hospice organization of Lakeland, FL or Peru Municipal Golf Course in his honor.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. until the time of the service with Pastor Thomas Daugherty, at  Riverview Event Center, 421 W. Canal St., Peru, IN.