Services were held Monday for Jules Yakopovich, 71, a former football coach at Kenmore West High School who authored a book on his playing strategy.  Yakopovich, 71, died July 17, 1993, in Schofield Residence in the Town of Tonawanda after a long illness.
The Town of Tonawanda resident was a native of the Riverside area of Buffalo. He graduated from Colgate University in 1943 and served with the Marines in the Pacific Theater in 1943 and 1944.
During his 28-year career as a coach, he guided the Blue Devils to five Niagara Frontier League titles. In 1969, the Blue Devils finished with an 8-0 record and were ranked No. 1 in the State Sports Writers Association large-school poll.  A year later, Yakopovich published "The Radar Defense for Winning Football," which detailed his defensive strategy. He went on to speak at clinics and the Naval Academy, and several professional teams heard his advice.  In addition to his coaching duties, he taught German and world history at Kenmore West High School. He retired as head coach of the Blue Devils in 1976.  His wife, the former Dorothy Boehler, died in 1985.  Survivors include a son, Paul of Libertyville, Ill.; a daughter, Anne Conaughty of Fairport; a sister, Margaret Sholtez of Eden; and four grandchildren.