Terry Layton was far more than a good basketball coach.

The former Northwest Nazarene men's head basketball coach molded young men's lives in Idaho and around the world.

"He loved to win and to play basketball. He breathed, slept, ate basketball, but I don't know that that was the overall goal in Terry's injection in people's lives," said Rommie Lewis, who played for and coached with Layton. "He truly was a Godly man who would listen and have compassion. I think he was concerned about the whole person, not just the athletic piece or the sports world that they were in."

Layton, who coached at NNC from 1975-82, passed away Saturday, Dec. 1 after a decade-long bout of cancer. His funeral is set for 2 p.m. MST on Dec. 29 at Springs First Church in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"Terry's philosophy was everybody out there needs to know how to become a Christian and what Christianity means," said Gary Lawson, who was an assistant under Layton. "If he could get someone here to play basketball and turn their life around that is really important – more important than if they are a Christian right now."

Layton was 127-82 in his seven seasons at Northwest Nazarene, advancing to five consecutive NAIA District II playoff appearances from 1978-82. He was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2009.

"Coach Layton is truly one of the greats within NNU athletics," said Kelli Lindley, NNU's athletic director. "He always had a word of encouragement or a new insight regarding leadership for me to think about. I thoroughly appreciated his care and love for NNU. He will be dearly missed, but his meaningful legacy will endure forever within NNU athletics."

A memorial scholarship has been set up in Layton's name. You can donate here.

The men's basketball team has also had special shirts honoring Layton made and will wear them before their game Wednesday, Dec. 19 at Metro State in Denver.

"Coach Layton has left such a legacy at NNU and beyond," men's coach Paul Rush said. "His basketball influence has permeated through generations of coaches here at NNU and I was blessed to know him and be mentored by him.

"He loved the game of basketball and his knowledge of the game was deep and intricate. Yet he never lost sight of the bigger picture of what he was doing as a coach and the opportunity he had to impact the lives of those around him with God's love."

Layton served as a college head coach at Adams State College, Azusa Pacific University, Mayville State College, Oklahoma Panhandle State, Nebraska Western Community College and NNU. He was the head coach of professional teams in China, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Taiwan. He served as the head coach of national teams for Guatemala (1980 and 1981 summer), Mexico (1990), Panama (1999) and Qatar (1997-98).

He was the head coach of the CBA's Minot Snowbears (2002), the IBA's Billing Rimrockers (1999-02) and the head coach and general manager of the USBA's Nebraska Cranes (2005).

He served as president and head coach of basketball connections, an organization that specializes in short and long-term international basketball projects and FIBA basketball consulting and clinic instruction.

"I call him the basketball nomad," said Roger Schmidt, former NNU women's coach and assistant under Layton. "He loved to travel and worked hard with some really good programs. He loved the game. If there was a warm body on the West Coast when we were coaching that he didn't know about I'd be surprised.

"He'd get his popcorn and go up in the corner of the stands and watch."

Layton was born on Aug. 29, 1947 in Oakland, Calif. He attended Pasadena Nazarene College from 1965-70, playing basketball there. He also had a master's degree from Mankato State in Minnesota.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Nancy, two daughters and son-in-laws, four grandchildren, two siblings and a whole lot of people who call him Coach.

"There is a whole bunch of us guys that came to NNC whose lives have never been the same because of him and his family," said Fritz Jenkins, who played for Layton at NNU. "He was a guy who knew what God wanted out of his life and he did that.

"He did it all over the world."