William “Billy” Gordon Howard, 79, of Mobile, Alabama, passed away peacefully on June 21, 2022 after a long battle with cancer. Billy was born on September 4, in 1942. He is the son of Edith Inez Howard and Artis Gordon Howard.
Coach Howard is survived by his family who will miss him dearly: his wife Linda, his son Matthew (Ty) Howard, his daughter Holly Howard Shumpert, brothers Charles (Bunny) and Bennie (Janie), and his grandchildren Lauren, Ally, and Braden Shumpert, as well as many nieces, nephews, and extended family
members. Billy served in the U.S. Navy for five years and then worked as a fireman while pursuing his college degree. His lifelong dream was to be a coach, and he spent his entire 34 year coaching career at B.C. Rain High School until he retired in 2002. He served as varsity baseball coach for 26 years, as well as assistant football coach for 34 years. After retirement from public education, he served as an assistant
football coach at UMS -Wright Preparatory School for 12 years.
Friends and family of Billy will remember him as a hard worker, a loving father, a thoughtful husband, a devoted follower of Christ, and a spirited coach. He kept in touch with many of his former players and coaches over the years and he is loved and respected by all who knew him. Billy was inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association “Hall of Fame” in 2015 in recognition of his coaching career.
He took immense pride in the numerous players of his who went on to play collegiate baseball, as well as the five who played professional baseball. Several of his players became baseball coaches because of his influence and remained friends with him until he died.
The family would like to invite you to celebrate Billy’s life beginning with visitation with the family on Saturday, June 25 from 11 am until the time of funeral services at 1:00 pm, at Pine Crest Funeral Home, 1939 Dauphin Island Parkway, Mobile, AL. 36605. Internment will follow in Pine Crest Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family suggest contributions be made to the Mitchell Cancer Institute, Office of MCI Dev. 300 Alumni Circle, Mobile, AL. 36688 as well as to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
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