Daniel P. Heffernan

Daniel P. Heffernan, 94 , of Seymour, died Thursday, March 30, 2023. He was the loving husband of the late Helen Basta Heffernan, devoted father to Daniel A. Heffernan (Patricia) of Montgomery, NY, William F. Heffernan of Hopewell Junction, NY, Mary T. Morton (R. Wyn) of Brewster, MA, Margaret A. Cusick (James) of Southport, NC, Thomas P. Heffernan (Elizabeth) of Edenton, NC, and Michael J. Heffernan (Marianne) of Southbury, CT; grandfather to Daniel K., Michael J., and Michael T. Heffernan, and Elizabeth A. Mathieu, Jill and Brian Morton, Lauren Corna, Erin Cusick and Katharine Pecor; and great grandfather to Luca J. Corna and Liam M. Corna; Brother to the late Reverend Robert G. Heffernan and Phyllis M. Feeney.  Mr.  Heffernan was born in Derby, CT., son of the late Daniel J. and Josephine Connor Heffernan.  After graduating from Derby High School in 1945, where he was a 3-sport athlete, Dan attended Holy Cross College and was graduated from the University of Connecticut.  At both schools he played varsity basketball and baseball.  He received a master's degree and a sixth-year certificate from Fairfield University.  He was a communicant of St. Augustine Church since 1953.  Rejecting contract offers from a number of major league baseball teams, in 1949 Mr. Heffernan became Coach Heffernan, beginning a 31 year, 67 seasons, 1,416 games coaching career in baseball, basketball and football at Seymour High School and Seymour Junior High.  He taught physical education, became department head, and closed out a 36-year career in education as Athletic Director.  As Head Coach his teams combined for an overall record of 831 wins and 234 losses.  He was twice named Connecticut High School Baseball Coach of the Year.  In 1979 he was honored as the Outstanding Coach of Football by both the Connecticut High School Coaches Association and the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame.  He was an accomplished semi-pro basketball and baseball player for an array of teams, a respected basketball and baseball official, and pitching coach at Yale.  "Coach Heff" was also a founder of Seymour Babe Ruth Baseball, Pop Warner Football, the Seymour High School Sports Hall of Fame, and a prime mover in the start of the CIAC Baseball Tournament.  In 1996 he was inducted into the Connecticut Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  "Coach Heff" was known as an innovator and developer of talent that he put to good use.  His fundamentally sound, well coached and disciplined teams were hard to beat.  His former players were grateful for the opportunity to play for a caring, knowledgeable, dedicated and demanding teacher.  Seymour's Superintendent of Schools lauded his remarkable accomplishments while praising his dedication and service to the young men of Seymour, that positively affected their lives, and that the town was very fortunate to have had a coach of his ability for so many years.  He deserves our highest recognition.  Dan was a dedicated family man and coached his four sons. After retirement in 1985, for the next 28 years, Dan and his beloved wife Helen enjoyed 49 driving trips through Ireland, Britain, and Western Europe, with additional driving trips in the USA, all of which he took pleasure in the challenge of planning. Funeral Services will be held at the Anthony V. Chepulis Funeral Home, 47 Washington Ave. Seymour, on Tuesday April 11 at 10:00 am for a 10:30 Mass of Christian Burial at St. Augustine Church of St. Nicholas Parish. Interment will follow at St. Augustine Cemetery.  Friends are invited to call at the funeral home on Monday, April 10 from 4-8:00 pm. To leave an on-line condolence or sign the guest book, please visit www.chepulisfuneralhome.com