Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The ‘Heart and Soul’ of Hilltopper Football, Jimmy Feix Dies at 83

WKU Athletics
Longtime WKU football coach Jimmy Feix died Sunday at age 83. Feix remains the all-time winningest coach in school history.

Jimmy Feix, who became the first Western Kentucky University football player to earn All-America honors, and later, the school's winningest head coach, died Sunday afternoon.  He was 83 years old.

“He is the coach. He’s the heart-and-soul of Hilltopper football,” said Paul Just, WKU’s sports information director emeritus.   “He lived it as a player, he lived it as an assistant coach, he lived it as a head coach; he lived it as the A.D.”

Funeral arrangements are pending.  Feix is survived by his wife Frankie, two adult sons and several grandchildren.  News of Feix’s passing was announced by the university Sunday night.

James Wyne Feix was born in Henderson on Aug. 1, 1931 and first made his mark on the Hill in the early 1950s as a quarterback for Western.  He was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference team in 1951 and 1952. He led the team to a conference championship in 1952.
He was drafted by the New York Giants out of college but was injured before the 1953 season started. He would join the Air Force where he served for four years. 

Feix re-joined the Hilltoppers as an assistant football coach in 1957. Eleven years later, he would become head coach following the retirement of Nick Denes. As the leader of Western’s football team, Feix posted 106 wins, a number still unmatched in school history.

“He was very dedicated to the program, extremely dedicated to the athletes he coached. He was very much a Western Kentucky University man all the way around,” said Just.

Feix retired from coaching in 1983 but would remain involved at WKU as athletic director from 1986 until 1991.  That year, the school named the playing field at L.T. Smith Stadium in honor of Feix.

“He was extremely happy and pleased and surprised, I think,” said Just of Feix’s reaction to having the field named after him. “A lot of the others among us that knew him, weren’t at all surprised.”

WKU athletic director Todd Stewart said he will always cherish a hand-written note he received from Feix during his first year on the job.

"His 106 wins are the most in our football program’s history, but no number can accurately measure the tremendous impact he had on everyone he touched," said Stewart. "It is not often that one individual can have such a positive effect on so many, but Coach Feix certainly did and the Hilltopper Nation is forever grateful."  

On Sunday night, reaction from the WKU community poured in via Twitter. 

"Our thoughts & prayers with the family of Coach Jimmy Feix & all Hilltoppers whose lives are better because of his positive influence," said WKU President Gary Ransdell via Twitter. 

"Very saddened to hear the news of Coach Feix's passing. He was a legend among coaches & an even better man. Prayers are with the Feix family," said current WKU head football coach Jeff Brohm on his Twitter account.