Bernie Saggau

Bernie Saggau, the 1949 Buena Vista University graduate who served as Iowa High School Athletic Association Executive Director for 38 years, died on Saturday in Sarasota, Fla., eight days shy of his 97th birthday.

Bernie’s surviving children, Rebecca Saggau and Dr. David Saggau, are planning a celebration of life for their father, to be held later this summer in Iowa. 

A native of Denison, Bernie was recruited to Buena Vista in 1945 and went on to earn “Little All-American” accolades in football. He was also a championship sprinter and played some basketball for the Beavers, eventually joining the first class of student-athletes to be enshrined in the BVU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1969.

During his collegiate career, he began officiating high school basketball games when not bussing tables at the famed Cobblestone Ballroom. Bernie’s work on the basketball court soon took him around the world as one of the country’s leading officials who helped write rules governing international play. He also devoted nearly two decades of his career in officiating NCAA Division I football.

As a Beaver junior and senior, Bernie, who tipped the scales at 135 pounds, began circulating at small high schools to deliver motivational talks to students.

“I was small in stature, so I think the coaches and superintendents at the high schools figured their students could relate to me,” he said. 

Athletics served as the primer for his appearances, motivational talks that soon gave way to themes surrounding Bernie’s faith; his belief in his parents, neither of whom attended college; and the importance a teacher, coach, or mentor had in his life.

He would ultimately speak to more students in Iowa than any other person in the history of the state. He branched out and gave motivational speeches to schools and organizations in 45 states and throughout Europe. This spring marks the 36th year every Iowa high school has presented The Bernie Saggau Award to the outstanding citizen-athlete of the senior class. The Iowa High School Athletic Association Board of Control established the prestigious award in 1989.

He closed his 23-year tenure with the BVU Board of Trustees by accepting the Sir John Marks Templeton Life Trustee designation in 2019. He did so in “Bernie fashion,” by speaking extemporaneously, thanking every board member publicly and mentioning specifics about their contributions to his alma mater.

“I’ve been on the board 23 years and not once have I ever come away from a meeting with a negative thought. I either always learned something at the board meeting, or something I knew was reaffirmed,” he said. “I see such great things ahead for Buena Vista!”

Bernie continued his involvement with BVU following his retirement from the Board of Trustees. One year ago, he established an endowment to match gifts members of the senior class make back to BVU at the time of their graduation. 

To honor the Class of 2025, which celebrated Commencement exercises on May 3, Bernie purchased a “Buena Vista University Alumni” stainless steel mug for each member of the class and tucked a note within the container, welcoming each to the alumni family while reminding them of the importance of serving others and their alma mater. 

“How remarkable that Bernie Saggau, in the final week of his life, was still thinking about our students and the ways in which he could work with others to encourage, direct and motivate them to share and to lead. He continued to live out our motto, ‘Education for Service,’ to benefit others,” said BVU President Brian A. Lenzmeier, Ph.D. “We keep Rebecca and David and their families in our prayers at this time, while reflecting with pride and our eternal gratitude on the selfless leadership, friendship and love their father extended to all of us.”