A wonderful and legendary man. Gave his all to put Iowa on top. A great family as well.

I was one of the ordinary people that Bump befriended and treated with respect and kindness. My deep sorrow at his passing is simply a reflection of what a special, dying breed he was. While it is certainly true that he ushered in a golden era of success at Iowa in athletics, I think his far more important and incredible gift to all of Hawkeye Nation, tens of millions of us over the last 50 years, is that he insisted on excellence without cheating.

Without that unwavering commitment, it would have been very easy for Iowa Athletics to be tempted to violate rules to retain that excellence. Knowing that it would violate his legacy of honor and integrity has made it almost unthinkable for subsequent coaches and directors to succumb to that strong temptation.

What an incredible gift..... to allow all Hawkeyes to hold their head high as our athletic teams competed with success, knowing that we are among the ones who do things right; recruiting within the rules, valuing academics as a priority for the players, and choosing as our athletes the kinds of players who will solemnly and knowingly accept the requirement to be good citizens.... all those pillars of Hawkeye athletics over the last 50 years came from Bump. His integrity has made honesty and working with honor, the baseline for all who continue his work. Congratulations to Bob Bowlsby and Gary Barta, and all the Hawkeye coaches who followed him and continued that great achievement, that legacy of honor.

Randy Larson

Dear Joey and all the Elliotts.

What a fantastic service for Bump today! Debbie and I were happy to get seats. We did get to talk with Jessica and Grant and got a picture of Ellie.

Bump hired me in 1979 and the gymnastics team needed lots of work. Within days of my arrival at Iowa I had to tell him how bad it was and he said clearly to me: "we will not run anyone off or pull any scholarships, Iowa recruited these guys." I'll never forget that day. Bump was the best boss I ever had.

Tom Dunn

To the family of Bump Elliott, I met Bump my football senior year 1970 and later joined the Iowa football staff in the late 70's on my way to a 4 decade football coaching career. Bump was always great to me and I had a great friendship with him. He was a great Man and AD. Always honest and consistent. Had good visits with him during my time at Iowa. I want to express my condolences to the family and say that he will be missed. Thanks for letting me express my thoughts.

Tom Hayes

Dear Betsy and the Elliott family,

Please accept my sincere expression of Christian sympathy on the loss of your father, Bump Elliott. Coach Elliott spoke at our Fall Sports Banquet at Hope College in November, 1969, and those of us who were in attendance couldn't believe our great good fortune in having him as our featured speaker. We did not usually have speakers of his stature at our athletic events back then. Then, in 2012, my wife Deborah had the opportunity to meet him in Iowa City, and in 2015, our two sons Marc and Steven had the privelege of meeting him in Ann Arbor. All of us share in your loss. We loved him, too.

Sincerely,

Bruce Geelhoed

Muncie, Indiana

To the Family of Bump Elliott:

Sixty years ago Bump gave me the opportunity to realize my dreams; play Big 10 football and get a quality college education. I was able to take advantage of that opportunity and do both; and have a successful life and career because of those opportunities. I will always, always be grateful to Bump for what he did for me and for the support which he provided. May he rest-in-peace; he was the epitome of a gentleman and an athlete.

Go Blue.

Bill Muir

Our family knows Bump Elliott primarily through the memories and stories that our Dad Jack, Bump’s teammate on the 1947 Michigan football team, would tell us when he spoke of those extraordinary and memorable times of a lifelong relationship with a man as gracious and so well respected as Bump. Dad would speak with excitement and anticipation as he and Mom would look forward to those reunion gatherings whether they be in Ann Arbor, Pasadena or wherever when they would get together with Bump & Barb.

As a young boy I vividly remember Dad taking us to a Michigan football game to see Bump coach his Wolverines against his brother Pete’s Fighting Illini team and we visited the Michigan locker room after the game. Bump was so kind and gracious with his time and even though he seemed bigger than life to us we saw the very special bond that he and our Dad had and the memories and special times they shared as Men of Michigan! Bump is certainly much more than a superb student-athlete, teammate, coach, administrator and leader of young men & women in the world on intercollegiate athletics and he’ll always be remembered for the extraordinary family and community man that he was.

The thoughts and prayers of every Weisenburger family member are with the Elliott family as they grieve and celebrate the magnificent life of such a wonderful and accomplished man. Hail to this Victor!

Bump is one of the most genuine individuals I have ever met. He was kind, caring and respectful to everyone and he will be dearly missed. My deepest sympathies to the Elliott family.

Bump was one of a kind, a tremendous athlete, coach, and human being.

Assessing his character, I'll always remember what Joe Falls, the "hardened," former, Detroit Free Press Sports Editor once wrote: "If any man could choose someone to entrust his son to play collegiate football under, it would be Bump Elliott."

May he Rest In Peace.

Our Coach was one of the most extraordinary men that I have known. He was extremely gracious, humble, and consistent. He touched many lives.....

It was an honor to have Bump Elliott want you on his team. He was a role model for all who loved him for the man he was.

We’ve lost a great one. I was privileged to have had Bump as my coach, as a fellow Michigan coaching staff member, and a Big Ten athletics director colleague. He never changed. Through all the wins and losses, successes and disappointments, and periodic differences of opinion, he remained the same classy, gracious, and humble man. I’ve always wished he had been Michigan’s AD, not Iowa’s, because in my mind he was the consummate Michigan Man - a highly accomplished champion as both an athlete and coach, but always dignified and humble. I loved the guy. Along with my dad and Cliff Keen (Michigan's legendary wrestling coach), Bump was for me an inspiration and a role model. He will be missed not only by his family but by all who were lucky enough to know him. Go Blue, Rick Bay

A great man and great family. He will be missed. My Dad went to Illinois and played against Bump and Pete and always had the greatest respect for the entire Elliott family. I was fortunate to be Dave Elliott's college roommate so I feel blessed to have known Bump. God Bless

Bump was truly, along with my father, the most influential person of my career. He convinced me to run, as a student, for the two year term on the Board of Directors of Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Michigan which led to a 40 year career in sports administration. Of course Bump recruited me to UM as a football player and mentored me throughout my time in Ann Arbor. He was perhaps the finest man I have ever known.

Condolences to family and friends, my prayers are with you.

I'm so honored to have known Bump. He was everything we all would have wanted to be. He made Iowa Athletics a special place to be and I'm thankful I was in the department during his time. A special thank you to his family for sharing him with all of us. We all send our sincere condolences and want you to know his athletic family is with you as well.

Gayle Blevins and Iowa Softball Alumnae

Kenneth and I remember Bump fondly as he was a member of the presidential search committee who recommended me as a finalist to the Iowa Regents in the fall of 1995. What a kind and gentle soul he was! Of course he had a deep connection with the University of Michigan as well as Iowa and it is ironic that I served at both institutions, too. Bump leaves a wonderful legacy of achievement with a life well lived. Mary Sue Coleman, president, Association of American Universities

My sincere condolences to the entire Elliott family. I was always appreciative that Bump gave me an opportunity to work with so many wonderful people at the University of Iowa. He was such a gentleman and a leader, that brought talented people together to help them achieve great success.

Rest in peace, Bump.

I had the privilege of growing up across the street from Bump and the rest of his wonderful family on Jefferson Street in Bloomington, Illinois. As a little boy, I enjoyed watching Bump and his brother Pete play catch with a baseball. Their talent was certainly evident, and their rise to fame in the sports world was no surprise. Most important, despite nation- wide fame, Bump and his brothers remained down to earth caring people. I also had the privilege of conversing with Bump a few years ago in Bloomington at his brother Pete's visitation. It was no surprise that Bump, despite his advanced age, was still the sharp and caring person that I had remembered.

When I was in high school the Elliott family moved in down the street. It didn't take long to realize that the entire family was made up of kind and intellligent people. Through the years I had the opportunities to talk with Mr. Elliott (he was always Mr. Elliott to me). I remember when I astonished him by knowing that his father had been an old-school eye, ear, nose and throat doctor. Since my father was an eye doctor it meant that Mr. Elliott and I had a bit in common. I honor the memory of this man, a veteran of World War Two, and his service to our state.

Many years ago in my early business life, a man one told me that there would be, maybe four people that could greatly impact and influence my life as time went on....one may never recognize these people....Mr. Elliott was definitely one in our lives and we definitely recognized his influences. We will forever be grateful for his advise, mentoring, coaching, golf and event partnership and particularly his long, warm friendship.

Our deepest sympathies and condolences go to his Children and Family.

Doug and Marge Goodfellow and Family

My neighbor growing up on Dill Street. Always a warm hello and greeting when I collected for the Press-Citizen paper. He'll be missed. This fact is really amazing, and says so much in one sentence: "He is the only person to have been with Rose Bowl teams in five capacities – player, assistant coach, head coach, assistant athletic director, and athletic director". Condolences to the family.

I first met Coach Elliott when my father awakened me after a Hudson Michigan football banquet in 1954 and he was so kind and cordial! I was a life long fan.

Then in 1967 for my football methods class at Adrian College I wrote a paper about him and he granted little old me a wonderful fifteen minute phone interview.

He was a kind TRUE GENTLEMEN!

My heartfelt sympathy to the Elliott Family.