SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University, The Rock Athletics Department and the SRU football program are mourning the death of 1963 SRU alumnus Jerry Bejbl, a Rock Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and longtime beloved supporter of the University.
 
Bejbl passed away Sunday, March 20 in DeKalb, Illinois at the age of 82.
 
"This is a tremendous loss for our football program and the entire University community," said SRU head football coach Shawn Lutz. "Jerry's contributions to Slippery Rock University and our football program especially have been beyond significant and have impacted the lives of so many SRU student-athletes over the last 40 years. We send our love and prayers to his incredible wife Kathy, their children and family during this difficult time."
 
Bejbl grew up in Newberry, Ohio and chose to attend Slippery Rock for a chance to play football and get an education, enrolling in 1959. At that time, he was the only player on the Slippery Rock State Teachers College roster to come from outside the state of Pennsylvania. He starred on The Rock football team as a fullback and helped the team to back-to-back conference championships in 1961 and 1962, scoring 168 total points and setting a scoring record that wouldn't be eclipsed for 30 years.
 
More important to Jerry than what he did on the football field or in the classroom at SRU, was that he met the love of his life, Kathleen "Kathy" Toohey at The Rock. They married while at SRU and were married 61 years. Bejbl was a loving father to three children: Michelle, Michael and Christopher.
 
The Bejbl family moved to DeKalb in 1969 and Jerry and his brother-in-law, Larry Jarres, began Armoloy of Illinois, a metal coating company. Bejbl would go on to buy out the Armoloy Corporation and expand the franchise across the United States and into Europe. He worked tirelessly for 40 years before retiring and handing the reigns of Armoloy over to his sons.
 
Bejbl's success in the business world allowed him to become more involved at his Alma Mater as he looked for ways to help students get to experience the place that he credited for so much of his success. Often quoted as saying "Slippery Rock changed my whole life," Bejbl wanted the opportunity to change the lives of future generations.
 
He and Kathy begun to generously donate back to the University with significant gifts that would provide scholarships to student-athletes and transform Athletics facilities on campus. In 1988, two years after Bejbl was enshrined in the Rock Athletics Hall of Fame, the Bejbl family endowed $150,000 to the Jerome Bejbl Football Scholarship. A decade later in 1998, the Bejbl family contributed another $200,000 for the creation of the Jerry Bejbl Weight Training Center at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. At that time, it was the largest single donation by an SRU alumnus in the University's history.
 
The Bejbl family would add more than $300,000 more to that contribution to the weight room facility over the next 20 years, purchasing new equipment multiple times and providing funds for renovations and modernization of the primary weight training facility for SRU student-athletes.
 
In 2012, Bejbl reached a significant milestone as a contributor to Slippery Rock when he became the first alumnus in the University's history to top the $1 million mark in total contributions.
 
Retired Slippery Rock head football coach George Mihalik was in charge of The Rock football program for the entirety of that first million dollars in contributions.
 
"I am not sure people understand how significant Jerry and Kathy are in the history of the Slippery Rock football program and really in the history of the University as a whole," said Mihalik. "Without the contributions and support from Jerry and Kathy, our football program would not be anywhere near as successful as it has been. Jerry and Kathy have changed the lives of so many student-athletes at Slippery Rock. I loved him and his family like they were my own. Laura and I want to send Kathy and the rest of Jerry's family our deepest condolences and we send our love out to The Rock football brotherhood."
 
Bejbl wasn't just a financial supporter of Slippery Rock University or the football program. He rarely missed a home game, driving from the Chicago area, often through the middle of the night, to make sure he was on the sideline for The Rock's home games. He also almost never missed a playoff game, driving and flying all over the country for SRU playoff games.
 
It wasn't just game day that Bejbl showed up to support SRU, as he also was a frequent visitor on campus for various fundraisers, golf outings, galas and other University events.
 
He also supported individual student-athletes, traveling all over the country to join in celebrating their success. He went to Alabama with Brandon Fusco when he played in the Reese's Senior Bowl in 2011, drove to New York City to celebrate with Marcus Martin when he was honored at the National Football Foundation Awards Dinner in 2017 and just a few months ago, flew to Las Vegas to celebrate with Henry Litwin when he was recognized at the NFF Awards Dinner in December of 2021.
 
"Simply put, Jerry was family," said Lutz. "He cared so deeply about seeing our student-athletes succeed on the field and in the classroom. He loved Slippery Rock and we loved him."
 
Visitation for Bejbl will take place Monday, March 28 from 2-3 p.m. at Anderson Funeral Home in DeKalb, Illinois. A memorial service will follow from 3-4 p.m. Individuals wishing to make the trip to the service can reserve a room at the Hampton Inn in DeKalb by calling 815.748.4323.




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