Herbert William McGuire

Herbert William McGuire, 90, died on October 21, 2025. Herbie was born in Covington on November 23, 1934, to the late Herbert Henry and Virginia Lucille Kingsberry McGuire. Herbie was a 1957 graduate of Centre College where he was an outstanding scholar-athlete, lettering in football, golf, and track. He played on the undefeated 1955 football team. While at Centre, he met his future wife, Margaret Jean Sheegog of Danville. They married shortly after graduation and enjoyed sixty-seven wonderful years of marriage, with all but a few in Danville. Herbie also obtained master’s degrees in mathematics from the University of Southern Illinois and sports administration from Eastern Kentucky University. He was a United States Army Veteran.
Herbie coached and taught at Centre College for over forty years. During his tenure at Centre, he was the head football coach from 1972 – 1979, winning the conference championship in 1972 and coaching 34 All-CAC players. Herbie also served as head coach in baseball and men’s and women’s track, cross-country and golf. He was instrumental in starting the women’s cross-country and golf teams and the Praying Colonel’s Invitational, the fundraising golf tournament for the athletic department at Centre, now named in his honor. The press box at the football stadium also bears his name. Herbie is a member of the Centre College and the Northern Kentucky Athletic Halls of Fame.
Herbie was very active in the Kentucky golfing community. He was a long-time member and past president of the Danville Country Club where he won five club championships and was the first member to win the prestigious J.E. Butler Memorial invitational tournament. He won numerous other tournaments around the state, including the inaugural Greenbrier Championship in Lexington and the Kentucky Senior Amateur Championship.
He served on the Kentucky Golf Association Board for 47 years, serving one term as the KGA President and two terms as the KGA-PGA President. He was chosen as the KGA Tournament Committee Chair in 2010 and served for many years as a tournament official. He was awarded the J.W. James award for outstanding contribution to amateur golf in Kentucky and received the President’s Award from the Kentucky Section of the PGA for untiring and distinguished service to golf. In 2014, on one of the happiest days of his life, Herbie was inducted into the Kentucky Golf Hall of Fame.
Herbie was predeceased by his wife, Margaret Jean Sheegog McGuire, a sister, Marion Edwards, and two brothers-in-law, Rodney Shulz and Garth Edwards. He is survived by his daughter Kelly Margeret McGuire, son, Kevin (Betty) Michael McGuire, grandchildren, Ryan Patrick McGuire, Joseph Reed McGuire, Richard Cooper (Kristin) McGuire, and Mary Margaret “Maggie” Darland, great-grandchildren, Jonah Arnold and Riley Erin Bauer, sisters, Victoria (Larry) Warren and Diana Shulz, and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be held at 11 am on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at Stith Funeral Home in Danville. Father Danny Schwendemen will officiate. Burial will follow in Bellevue Cemetery with military honors provided by the United States Army and the American Legion: Saufley Post #18. Visitation will be from 4 pm to 7 pm on Monday, October 27, 2025, at Stith Funeral Home in Danville. Memorial donations may be made to Heritage Hospice, Inc. or the Herb McGuire Scholarship c/o Centre College.