Notre Dame community says their final farewell to Coach Lou Holtz

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- On Monday the Notre Dame community, the world of college football, and the entire nation said their final farewells to one of the greatest coaches in Notre Dame history.

The 89-year-old was laid to rest beside his wife Beth on the campus of Notre Dame.

Family, friends, old teammates and loved ones braced the wintery weather to attend the funeral of legendary Notre Dame Football Coach Lou Holtz at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

Holtz was carried out of the hearse and escorted inside by his family.

Inside of the walls of the Basilica was his Mass of Christian Burial.

“On behalf of the entire Notre Dame community and on behalf of the Holtz family, I want to welcome you all here,” greeted Rev. Robert Dowd, President of the University of Notre Dame. “We gather together to celebrate the life of a great man and to entrust him to God's care. We know that Lou was a person of great faith and here today we certainly mourn his loss. We will miss him, but we also celebrate, we celebrate that he is with the god who created him out of great love.”

Dozens of former players and coaching staff who knew Lou well, filling the pews.

Former University President Father John Jenkins, remarked on that special bond they all shared with the former coach.

“Those for whom Lou worked and those who worked for him knew that he could be volatile and hard-headed. His players can tell you that he was often impossibly maddeningly demanding,” said Rev. John I. Jenkins, University of Notre Dame President Emeritus. “Lou could be hard to manage, hard to work for, hard to play for, and sometimes hard to live with.

Celebrating Coach Holtz’s tough love.

“Lou's tough love was indeed genuine and deep love,” Rev. John Jenkins said. “He wanted you to be the very best version of yourself and refused to accept anything less. Lou consistently showed such love to those who played for him and worked for him.”

At the end of Mass, Lou’s eldest son, Skip Holtz, delivered the words of remembrance.

Lou Holtz was many things to many people,” said Skip Holtz, oldest son of Lou & Beth Holtz. “From 1937 until 2026 for 89 years, he had the opportunity to live his dash. He was a complicated man. I think everybody in this church maybe has seen a different side of him. As his children, we've seen them all, and I mean all of them; he was complicated, but yet he was simple.

He touched on the Lou that he knew behind closed doors.

“I promise you, he had a smile that could melt you in a one liner that would make you laugh. He was the king of one liners,” said Skip.

He left the congregation with hope for his father’s legacy.

“His legacy will continue,” Skip said. “The stories will grow, and most of them are true. Songs will be written, tributes will be made, and his legend will grow.”

Then, Skip and the rest of the family led the procession from the Basilica to Cedar Grove Cemetery down Notre Dame Avenue.

Hundreds followed Lou Holtz to his final resting place.

Services ended with a private burial at Cedar Grove Cemetery on campus.

The service was streamed and is posted on YouTube for viewing anytime.