Charles Wayne Lumsden

Born in Piedmont, AL, October 6, 1939, he was the last surviving child of the late Essie Mae and James Otis Lumsden. He was of Baptist faith and an avid University of Alabama fan.

Charles graduated from Jacksonville State University and began his baseball coaching career at Hokes Bluff High School, Gadsden, AL. After three years, he moved to Marietta, GA to coach baseball and football at Sprayberry High School for six years. In 1975, Charles began coaching baseball at Southern Tech where he remained for 24 years until he retired in 1998. He was the school’s all-time leader in coaching wins (637), averaging 26.5 per season. Charles registered 21 straight winning seasons. He led his clubs to two NAIA national tournaments, including the 1986 World Series; where he guided the 1986 squad to the conference tournament, NAIA District 25 and Area V championships. He produced eight players taken in the MLB draft. Charles was a four-time Conference Coach of the Year, 1989 GIAC Coach of the Year, and was inducted into the KSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015 after SPSU and KSU merged.

Charles is preceded in death by his brothers, Joe Vann, Tom, Pete, and Harlon Lumsden; sisters, Ann Shealy and Mary Voiles.

Charles is survived by close friends and former players. He lived humbly by these words, “I shall pass through this world but once: any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now, let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again." He was a kind, gentle soul and will greatly be missed.

A memorial service for Charles will be held at a later date.