William H. Moore

MASON CITY: William H. Bill Moore, 97, of Mason City, died Wednesday, January 5, 2011 at the Good Shepherd Health Center. Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 N. Pennsylvania Avenue with Rev. Jim Magelssen officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Military rites will be provided by the Mason City Veterans Memorial Association. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue and continue one hour before services Wednesday at the church. Memorials will be used to establish a scholarship fund.

Bill was born September 15, 1913 in Bloomington, Illinois the son of William H. and Ida (Dambold) Moore. Bill always loved playing sports. In his youth he participated in track, basketball, and football. Prior to high school, he played basketball in a church league. One of the rules of the league was that you had to attend the church that sponsored the team you played on. So Bill attended a couple of different churches at the same time in order to maximize his playing time. Bills interest in golf started in the sixth grade, when he caddied to make extra money. He worked at the golf course until he graduated from college. His work at the Bloomington Maplewood Golf Course, which eventually included running the pro shop, was one way he paid his college education. In high school, Bill played basketball, 1 year, was on the track team, mile and discus, but stood out as a starting guard and captain on the football team. Bill graduated from Bloomington High School in 1932.

Bill attended Illinois Normal University, now known as Illinois State University, in Normal, Illinois. In college, Bill was on the golf team, but starred as a football player. He was a starting guard and in 1936 was named captain of the team. At the end of the 1936 season, he was chosen as the team MVP, was an all-conference pick and was selected to the Little All-American team by both the AP and UPI. Bill received his bachelors of education degree in 1937 and later received his masters degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1940. Bill taught math, history, and physical education as well as coaching football, basketball, and track in Ridgefarm, Illinois for three years. While in Ridgefarm, he met Carol Christensen, the music teacher there. He came to Mason City in 1940 and taught math at Mason City High School and was the track coach, assistant football coach and assisted with wrestling at the Junior College. Bill married Carol on August 16, 1941 in Racine, Wisconsin.

As with many other young men of that era, Bill enlisted for military service during WW II. He was a 1st Lieutenant in the Army Air Force as a radio maintenance officer. Bill returned to Mason City in the fall of 1946 and resumed his position as a math teacher and head track coach at the high school, and also, was named assistant football coach and basketball coach. Later, Bill gave up the assistant football position at the high school to become head football coach at the Mason City Junior College. When the opportunity came to become the head football coach at Mason City High School, Bill took the position and resigned his post at the Junior College.

As track coach for Mason City High School, he instituted the Mohawk Relays, one relay race of which is now named in his honor. Bill was successful as a track coach and his stature was recognized in 1963 when he was named an honorary referee at the A.D. Dickinson State College of Iowa Relays.

Bill also worked hard and enjoyed success as head football coach. His Mohawk team was undefeated in 1966, a record which still stands. Bill retired from coaching that same year. In all his years of coaching football, none of his teams ever had a losing record.

Although retired as a coach, Bill stayed active in sports by officiating for high school football and basketball games and starting track and swimming meets, including one year as a high school referee at the Drake Relays. Bill retired from teaching in 1979.

Retirement did not mean inactivity for Bill. He played golf extensively, including participating for several years in area seniors tournaments. He fished a lot and enjoyed the annual trip to Canada to fish for walleye. He made so many annual trips to Jan Lake that a bay, Moores Bay, was named for him. Bill did not just spend his retirement in leisure activities. He has been deeply involved with the Hawkeye Harvest Food Back, volunteering from 1982 to 2007. He served both on the board and then as President for six years. He was active in civic organizations throughout his life. He was a charter member of the Evening Lions Club, a continuous member of the American Legion for over 60 years, a longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church, serving on the Board of Trustees, the Board of Social Ministry, ushering, and teaching Sunday School.

Bill also enjoyed traveling and spending time with his family. He dearly loved and was proud of his family and treasured time spent with them. He was known to many simply as coach.

Among the honors Bill received are his induction into several Halls of Fame: the Iowa Coaches Hall of Fame in 1968, the Iowa Track Coaches Hall of Fame in 1972, and the Illinois State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.

Bill is survived by his daughter, Nancy Stephenson and husband Ron of Kansas City, Missouri; son, David Moore and wife Lisa of Sitka, Alaska; granddaughter, Amy (Stephenson) Hampton and husband Blake of Haltom City, Texas, granddaughter, Rachel Stephenson of Arlington, Texas; numerous nieces and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William and Ida Moore; two brothers, Richard and Delmar; sister, Dorothy Beyer; wife, Carol and an infant daughter, Sharon Carol.

Cemetery:
Memorial Park Cemetery

Visitation:
From 4:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home

Service:
10:30 AM Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church