Leading the Northwestern University Debate Society to an unprecedented number of national championships and working with the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues, Larry Scott Deatherage touched countless lives in his 47 years.

“He was the single most successful college debate coach in history,” said Eric Tucker, deputy director of the NAUDL.

Deatherage died Dec. 25 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after experiencing a heart attack Dec. 22.

Deatherage’s colleagues said he could bring out the best in others and push them to their full potential. Deatherage had an uncanny ability for finding and developing talent, said Barbara Reeder, administrative director of Northwestern’s National High School Institute.

“He took a fabulous program and exploded it to a national-caliber program,” Reeder said. “As far as our program, he was the heart and soul.”

Deatherage was the director of the debate society from 1990 to 2008. During his 18-year career, he led NU to seven championships and had four debaters earn Top Speaker awards at the National Debate Tournament. His peers named Deatherage “Coach of the Decade” for his work in 1990s.

Bridget Brocken Smith (WCAS ’93) was a member of the debate society under Deatherage and later worked with him for 10 years at NU’s National High School Institute.

“(Deatherage) knew the importance of devoting complete attention and energy to teaching,” Smith said. “He was engaging with everyone and made them feel they were making an important contribution.”

In 2008 Deatherage left his position at NU to become the executive director of the NAUDL, where he helped launch 150 new debate programs at urban schools, Tucker said.

“He brought the academic rigor and commitment to excellence that he developed at Northwestern to hard-hit urban schools around the county,” he said. “He brought that intensity to make an activity available to students who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance.”

Since his death, friends and debaters have created a Facebook group called “Honoring and Celebrating the Life of Scott Deatherage.” The group had more than 800 members Monday night. Three national debate organizations have also created forums to remember Deatherage.

“As an educator he impacted tens of thousands of young people, and the Facebook page and forums are really only a scratch on the surface of the profound and lasting difference he made,” Tucker said. “We have lost a talented champion and a committed friend.”

Deatherage is survived by his sister, Diana Baldwin, and by brothers Donald, Patrick and Michael Deatherage and William Lechner. A memorial service will take place on Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. in Alice S. Millar Chapel. In lieu of flowers, his family asked donations go either to NAUDL or to the NU Debate [email protected]