Lee Wachenheim

Class of 2004

Elmhurst (York)

Lee Wachenheim was born in Chicago, IL and attended Lane Tech High School. He played football and baseball. After graduation in 1943, Lee entered the United States Army and served with the 4ggth Engineers, Bailey Pontoon Bridges. In March of 1945 he joined the VI Corp 7th Army in France as they progressed through the Siegfied Line. He received an Honorable Discharge after the war.

He later went to Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) in Cedar Falls. He was a member of the 1950 NCAA National Championship Team. He competed for four years, earning three letters. While in college, he also played football, lettering four years and receiving All-Conference honors three of those years. In 1950 he was named as a Little All-American selection. He also earned one letter in track. During his final three years of football at Iowa Teachers he missed only 2:09 minutes and played every second of the 1950 season. After his graduation in 1951 he attended University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, CO, earning his Master’s Degree in Educational Administration in 1954.

While finishing his advanced degree requirements, Lee entered the education field in 1952 and taught industrial arts and drivers education at Corning High School in Corning, Iowa. He was the Head Wrestling Coach and an assistant in football, basketball and track. He started the wrestling program at Corning. In 1954 Lee served as Head Football Coach, starting the football program at Guttenberg High School in Guttenberg, Iowa. He taught Physical Education and was also was the Head Basketball Coach during that season. The next year, Lee went to Elmhurst, IL as a Physical Education instructor and assistant football and assistant wrestling coach at York High School. He was the Head Wrestling Coach at York from 1956 through 1972. During that time he had a career record of 79-130-3 and had five state qualifiers, four place winners and one champion.

Lee was recognized by the French Consulate for efforts in World War II, liberating France from Axis Powers. In 1951 he was honored as Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges and then in 1954 as Who’s Who in American Education. He was active in the Christ United Methodist Church and a member of the Pierce Zeiger Post Veterans of Foreign Wars.

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