Tim Lavery, a former two-sport star at Naperville Central High School, passed away on July 28 in Colorado at the age of 45.
Lavery excelled as a quarterback, pitcher, and leader at Naperville Central
During his senior year, he led the red and white to the IHSA Class 6A Final in 1995, earning numerous accolades, including the 1995 Football Player of the Year and the Gatorade Player of the Year. Lavery was often reminded by his head coach, Joe Bunge, to “be a leader,” a mantra that guided him throughout his life. He used that mantra when he volunteered as a quarterbacks coach for Naperville Central in 2013, helping guide the Redhawks to state champions.
Lavery was a four-year starter for the Redhawk football team, compiling a 38-4 record, with the four losses coming by a combined total of only 13 points.
On the baseball diamond, Lavery’s talents were equally impressive. He was a three-year varsity starter and a dominant pitcher, finishing his senior year with a 10-1 record. His accomplishments did not go unnoticed and was named the Naperville Sun Player of the Year and an All-State right fielder.
Naperville Central High School expressed deep sorrow over Lavery’s passing, stating:
“The entire Naperville Central family was heartbroken by the loss of Tim Lavery. Many in the community remember him as an exceptional athlete and remember well those terrific rivalry games with Naperville North during Tim’s time, but we knew him as a dedicated student who was a great role model for younger kids, and later as a coach who was deeply admired by his athletes.”
“His induction into the Hall of Fame in 2015 is a wonderful memory for everyone who was there that night, especially because he was inducted with his baseball coach, Bill Seiple.”
Lavery continued to play two sports at the University of Illinois
After high school, Lavery continued to shine as a two-sport athlete at the University of Illinois, where he played both football and baseball. Lavery is one of just two starting left-handed quarterbacks in Illinois football history and was named ESPN Player of the Game in a contest against Penn State.
He threw his first touchdown pass against the University of Iowa at Kinnick Stadium in front of 88,000 people on ESPN and completed the last pass of his college career on his 18th birthday in front of a crowd of 104,000 at Ohio State.
Ultimately, he chose to focus on baseball after his Freshman football season, leading the Fighting Illini to the 1998 Big Ten Championship and coming within a game of the College World Series. Lavery pursued his professional baseball dreams, playing in the minors for the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1999 to 2003.
His baseball career was shaped by the guidance of his coaches, particularly Naperville Central Athletic Hall of Famers, Phil Lawler and Bill Seiple.
A career in the medical device industry
Following his baseball career, Lavery transitioned to the medical device industry, where he specialized in complex spine treatments. His work allowed him to travel the world, advising top surgeons and contributing to the development of innovative technologies that have improved the lives of countless patients.
In Lavery’s 2015 NCHS Hall of Fame bio, he shared to “dream, to have goals and, most importantly, to write them down,” noting that if they don’t “then those dreams are just floating ideas.”
A celebration of Lavery’s life will be held on August 17 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Bolingbrook Country Club, 2001 Rodeo Drive, Bolingbrook, IL. No cause of death was noted in Lavery’s obituary.
Photo Courtesy: Tim Lavery’s Obituary
If you have a story idea, send us a tip.
