Mr. Heathman, long-time caretaker of the Rockne Memorial at the site of the plane crash, passed away yesterday at the age of 90.

Easter Heathman, who at age 14 was one of the first people to arrive at the crash site near Bazaar, has given hundreds of people the opportunity to visit a stone memorial that marks the spot where Rockne and seven others died on March 31, 1931.

“More than any other single person, he preserved the memory of Knute Rockne, not just here in Kansas, but really all over the country,” said University of Kansas faculty member Bernie Kish, former executive director of the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend and a close friend of Heathman’s.

Mr. Heathman was the focus of a video piece you can see here at Classic Ground, and was recently honored with an honorary monogram at a ceremony at the pep rally for the ND-PSU game in 2006.

Easter provided tours to folks making their way out to the Rockne crash site in rural Kansas, and was concerned about a succession plan given his age and recent health challenges.  Here’s to hoping that someone as dedicated and noble cares to take up the cause.  And that the memory of Easter is as strong as that of Rockne.

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