A great part of Kansas basketball died with Dick Harp’s death in 2000

When Dick Harp died on March 18, 2000 at age 81 at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor, a great part of Kansas basketball died with him.

Nobody loved KU basketball and the University of Kansas more than Harp. He was a captain on KU’s 1940 NCAA runner-up national championship team, a KU assistant coach under Phog Allen for eight years (1948-56) and Kansas head coach for eight years (1956-64). He dreamed of playing basketball for KU as a boy growing up in Rosedale, Kan., while also dreaming of coaching at Kansas.

Dick got to realize both dreams. Not many people can say they lived out their dreams -- not once but twice.

As then-KU coach Roy Williams said about Dick after he died: "Kansas lost -- to me -- probably the closest guy to being Mr. Kansas Basketball."

Here is another heartfelt tribute to Dick Harp, the man and coach who did so much for his alma mater and college basketball.

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Dick Harp, who had been in poor health in his latter years, died on March 18, 2000 at age 81. He passed the morning after KU edged DePaul in overtime in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

"Somehow that seems fitting ... he loved KU so much," said Bill Lienhard, who played for the 1952 NCAA title team when Harp was an assistant coach under Phog Allen and had so much love and admiration for his former coach.

Harp's death shook the Jayhawk Nation hard, especially his family, friends, and those that worked with him.

More than 150 people mourned him at Harp’s Memorial Service four days later at Lawrence’s First Baptist Church. The Journal-World reported that Harp was remembered as “upstanding Christian who had a powerful sweet tooth.’

“Religion, family, and work. Dad took each of them, with their prosaic details, and made a poem out of them that is his life,” son Richard L. Harp said. 

“He loved me, he loved my mother. He loved his parents and he loved his grandchildren.”

Rev. Marcus W. McFaul eloquently discussed Harp’s life during a 20-minute eulogy.

“He grew up wanting to play and coach basketball at the University of Kansas, and that’s just what he did. He was a strong man with a gentleness about him that was very empowering.”

Waugh also delivered a eulogy to his dear friend. He “became choked up” at the end.

“I really miss him,” Waugh said. “He was my coach.”

The Associated Press reported that Waugh told the mourners of a conversation Harp once had with his wife, Martha Sue, “when he said that, once he got to heaven, he still wanted to coach.”

“But there are no winners or losers in heaven,” Martha Sue told Dick. “Everybody ties.”

“I can handle ties,” said Dick, before adding, “Well, maybe Kansas State and Missouri will be different.”

Then-KU coach Roy Williams also mourned the loss of a dear and influential friend.

"I don't think I'd be at Kansas if not for Dick Harp," Williams told the Topeka Capital-Journal. "I worked with him for two years. I heard so, so many Phog Allen stories and stories about the University of Kansas, his love for Kansas.

"At that time, you're talking about a guy who grew up dreaming of playing at North Carolina and didn't think there was anyplace else in the world where people had those feelings about their school," Williams added. 

"Because of coach Harp, I realized there was some other place out there. Kansas lost -- to me -- probably the closest guy to being Mr. Kansas Basketball."

The service wasn’t all tears. There were laughs celebrating his life and Harp’s affinity for ice cream.

“Neapolitan ice cream was his favorite, and he could easily eat a half gallon by himself,” Richard Harp said.

Waugh agreed.

“Dick was on a perpetual sugar diet,” Waugh said. “And it only lasted until he went to an ice cream store or a confectionary.”

Waugh also talked how Harp handled the negativity in the media.

“Dick seemed to handle criticism by the press and the newspapers very well. It infuriated Martha Sue, what was being written in the paper. Dick was good about not paying attention to the barking dogs.”

“He was a special person. I don’t think anybody had the feelings and love for Kansas basketball that Dick Harp had,” Williams added. “From the time he’d tell me about when he was a little boy ... the games and the players and what he knew about them and Doc Allen.

“Kansas basketball really lost a true giant. If there ever was any person you could say bled a crimson and blue combination, it’s have been Dick Harp.”

The paper wrote “all of the attendees praised Harp’s devotion to God, family and KU — especially his players.”

“Our sole purpose in life is to be here and do good,” Waugh said. “With apologies to any English teachers, Dick, you done good.”