Louis D. Rosenberg (1933-2022)

ROSENBERG, GRAF

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 3/27/2022 at 08:46:53

LOUIS DAVID ROSENBERG

Cedar Rapids

Louis David Rosenberg, 89, of Cedar Rapids, passed away on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. Per Dave's request, cremation has been accorded and a Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date.

Dave's athletic achievements are unique in a variety of sports in which he participated and coached. Even before graduating from high school, he won nine state and regional tournaments in smallbore rifle tournaments. The top 10 shooters from this tournament represented the United States in an international competition, which they won with Dave firing the top U.S. score.

Dave started college at Mankato State in Mankato, Minn., where as a freshman he took first in pole vault and third in wrestling in a conference meet. He transferred to Coe College, where he started the wrestling program in 1951-52 as a wrestler and student coach. His team won five of eight dual meets and placed third in the conference. He coached Coe's first individual conference wrestling champion, his brother John.

In May of 1955, Dave joined the United States Air Force. He was a jet pilot who ultimately flew for Air Tech Intelligence out of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. He was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant in 1958.

After his Air Force service, he returned to Cedar Rapids, where he coached track and field for 21 years and produced six state track champions.

He coached wrestling for 14 years, eight of them as varsity coach at Cedar Rapids Washington High School. His Warriors won the Mississippi Valley Conference Championship five of those eight years and were state champions in 1970. In wrestling, he also had six individual state champions. Three times he was named Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches, and he served as president of the Iowa High School Coaches and Officials Association in 1971.

Before leaving Coe College, Dave was the leading shooter on the most outstanding rifle team in Coe R.O.T.C. team in the nation. Coe placed third in the College and University Varsity Intercollegiate and Dave was the high individual at this national tournament. In October of 1992, Dave was inducted into the Coe College Athletic Hall of Fame.

To top off his sports interests, Dave raced two seasons as a speedboat driver, winning nine first place trophies.

When he retired from coaching, he began the Cedar Rapids Building Trades program in 1972 in which seniors in high school build a single family residence each year. This program has led many students into their own businesses in construction and related fields and has produced more than $125,000 for scholarships and tool grants from the sale of the homes. Dave built 21 homes with the students before he retired in 1994.

As a coach, educator and athlete, Dave has left an indelible mark.

Dave is survived by his wife, Harriet; his children, Mike (Pam), Marty (Sloane) and Heidi (Hal); grandchildren, Nic, Katy, Juliann, Elizabeth, James and Adam; and three great-grandchildren, Luna, Crew and Greer.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bert and Nancy Fay Rosenberg; his sister, Leah Graf; and his brother, John.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to The Cedar Rapids Metro Parkinson's Association.

Online condolences and messages may be shared with the family at cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.