Byard "By" Dwight Hey

Byard "By" Dwight Hey, 91, passed away on December 15, 2019. Born in 1928, By was a native of Fort Wayne and a graduate of Concordia Lutheran High School where he played on the basketball team. By went on to play basketball at Indiana University where he was also a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. Summers he worked for the Park Board coaching baseball. After graduation he taught and coached at Concordia College in Oakland, CA until he was called by the draft. He served in the Army Signal Corps during the Korean War as a cryptographer and code instructor. In 1952 he married his Concordia classmate, Elfriede (Fritzie) Friedrich and together they had four children - Heidi, Tina, Byard Jr., and Karla.

After his service in the Army he returned to Fort Wayne to replace his own high school basketball coach. He also taught math, physical education and was the assistant football coach. From there he moved into the FWCS system where he taught and coached at Central High School, then at North Side High School. While at North Side he had many successful years, including going to state in 1965 and being acknowledged by his fellow Indiana coaches for winning over 550 games. He was awarded to IHSAA's highest honor by being selected into its Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997. North Side further honored him by naming its new gymnasium the By Hey Arena, in tribute to his service to the school and its students as a math teacher and coach. He was honored by his alma mater Concordia High School by being selected an Outstanding Alum and being chosen to both the Concordia and North Side Athletic Halls of Fame.

For many years he worked with youth in Wildcat baseball and for twenty-five summers he managed the Glenaqua Swim Club. After retirement from the community school system, By taught at IPFW and Brown Mackie College and coached ball at Holy Cross Grade school - first coaching 5th and 6th graders and later 7th and 8th graders.

By was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church as a child and as an adult, he was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, where he was a longtime leader of Men's Bible Breakfast, Bible Study Classes, and Men in Integrity. He spent many solitary hours studying the Bible.

In 1978, he married Carolyn Zeigler and became step-father to her children - John, Charlie and Gretchen. He is survived by their children, Charlie (Rachel) Zeigler, Heidi Williams, Tina Bennett, Byard (Irene) Hey Jr., Gretchen (Mike) Barnett, Karla Dimond; grandchildren, Ian, Roman (Amanda), Ashley (Justin), Courtney, Seth (Sara), Aaron (Allie), Justin (Jessica), Heather, Wyatt, Jesse, Hunter, Erika, Rachel (Chris), Danielle and Adelan; great-grandchildren, McKenna, Josie, McKinzie, Lincoln, Braxton, Sydney, Audryna, Gracelyn, Jaxson, Lillian, Elijah, Byard, Emily, Adelein, Sawyer and Graham; and sister, Myrna. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Elfriede; parents, Minnie and Truman Hey; brother, Lowell; sister, Maxine; step-son, John Zeigler; and son-in-law, Stephen Williams.

Funeral service will be held at 11 am on Friday, December 20, 2019 with calling one hour prior at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 3425 Crescent Ave., Fort Wayne, IN 46805.

Visitation will be held from 2-4 and 6-8 pm on Thursday, December 19, 2019 at D.O. McComb and Sons Maplewood Park Funeral Home, 4017 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46815.