Ernie Kivisto, father of former Kansas University basketball players Tom Kivisto and Bob Kivisto, died Wednesday in Tulsa, Okla. He was 81.
The elder Kivisto was a highly successful high school basketball coach in suburban Chicago and in Arizona. His two sons both played on NCAA Final Four teams at Kansas — Bob in 1971 and Tom in 1974.
Tom Kivisto, who lives in Tulsa, is married to the former Julie Lienhard, a daughter of Bill Lienhard who played on KU’s 1952 NCAA championship team.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel, 3612 E. 91st St. S., Tulsa. Interment is at Calvary Cemetery
