Bernie Saggau: A life well lived
A Letter From Iowan Alan Mores
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Bernie Saggau passed away in Sarasota, Florida, on May 10, 2025, days before his 97th birthday. He was born on May 18, 1928, in Denison, Iowa, to Bernie and Angie Saggau. His childhood was spent playing sports or hunting and fishing with his dad.
Bernie accepted a football scholarship to Buena Vista College where he became one of the first inductees into their Athletic Hall of Fame. At BV, he formed many of his lifelong friendships and met his wife, Lois Kretzinger. They were married in 1952 and raised their three children in Storm Lake, Cherokee, and later Boone, where Bernie began his long tenure with the Iowa High School Athletic Association in 1963.
Bernie’s passion for sports extended beyond playing; he started officiating while still in college and was leading rules meetings by his late twenties. He went on to officiate basketball and football in the Big Eight and Missouri Valley conferences until the age of 50, later serving as the Big Eight’s Commissioner of Officials for seven years.
For 38 years, Bernie served as executive secretary of the IHSAA, a role through which he profoundly shaped high school athletics in Iowa and nationally. Throughout his career and well into his seventies, Bernie dedicated countless evenings to speaking engagements across Iowa and the nation, sharing his wisdom and inspiring audiences at rules meetings, commencements, sports banquets, corporate events, and church gatherings. He consistently promoted the values of family, faith, and hard work, with a constant goal to uplift the youth of Iowa.
Bernie’s leadership extended beyond the state. He chaired the football and basketball rules committees for the National Federation of High Schools and was instrumental in the development of numerous rules and policies that were later adopted across the nation. He eventually served as president of the NFHS and was inducted into their hall of fame. Under his leadership, Iowa became the first state to introduce sportsmanship awards, emphasizing character as highly as competition. Bernie was passionate about promoting the values of academics and extracurricular activities to empower young people to reach their potential as responsible citizens to enrich their own lives, their families, and communities.
To honor his legacy, an annual award is given in his name at each Iowa high school to a senior student who best exemplifies the values that Bernie spent his life promoting. Bernie also gave generously of his time to Buena Vista University, serving on its Board of Trustees for several decades. Last fall, at the age of 96, he drove himself to BV’s football homecoming to watch the game and visit with coaches and staff.
After 56 years of a loving marriage, Bernie’s wife Lois passed away in 2008. They had moved to West Des Moines in 1997, living just a few blocks from their four grandchildren who they saw daily. There were innumerable meals, events, celebrations, and trips taken all together over those years. In 2010, Bernie married a high school friend, Janet Wesselman. Their 12 years together were filled with love and many joyous shared moments with their children and grandchildren, until Janet’s passing.
Bernie will be remembered for his boundless energy, vision, and commitment to inspiring generations of young Iowans. He was a devoted mentor, leader, and trusted friend to many. His legacy lives on in the lives of the students, educators, and communities he touched. His children and grandchildren were proud to walk through life by his side. Some of their most treasured memories include rounds of golf, Fourth of July celebrations at Okoboji, and Christmases in Sarasota — times when the whole family was together.
If a life is measured by the people you touch and the goodness you inspire, Bernie Saggau’s was a life extraordinarily well lived.
He was preceded in death by his son Jeff, his first wife Lois, his second wife Janet, and his sister Lydia. He is survived by his daughter Rebecca (Don), his son David (Kris), four grandchildren (Helen, Anna, Bernie, Lydia), two great-grandchildren (Harper and Ford), and his sister Norma Jean.
A celebration of Bernie’s life and a time for fellowship will be held on Friday, June 20 at 11 a.m. at Valley Church in West Des Moines (4343 Fuller Rd., West Des Moines, IA 50265). There will be visitation beginning at 9:30 AM and a reception following the service. Arrangements are being handled by Iles Dunn’s Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages memorial gifts be made to the Iowa Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a ministry Bernie was deeply passionate about as FCA complimented his passion for serving coaches and student athletes. Memorial gifts may be sent directly to: Iowa FCA, 2500 University Ave., Des Moines, IA 50311 Gifts may also be made online at www.iowafca.org.
Alan Mores
Buena Vista University has a tribute to Bernie Saggau on its website.
Letters From Iowans is a part of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. We encourage you, our subscribers, to share your perspective in this column. To make your voice heard, use this form to send us your essay:
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