Ronald Wynne Anderson “Coach Ronnie Anderson”
Coach Ronnie Anderson, 82, of Orange, Texas, passed away on February 5, 2018 in Lafayette, LA at the home & in the care of his son & daughter-in-law.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00am; Saturday, February 10, 2018, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. Officiating will be Reverend Barry Bradley of First Baptist Church in Orange. Speaking in honor of Coach Anderson will be Head Baseball Coach Glen Cecchini of Barbe High School in Lake Charles, LA. Family will begin receiving guests at 9:00am. Burial will follow the service at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange.
Visitation will be from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, Friday February 9, 2018, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.
Born on September 6, 1935 in Orange, Texas, he was the son of RW Anderson and Mattie Lou Hale Anderson. Ronnie graduated from Orangefield High School and went to college on a basketball scholarship at Howard College in Big Spring, Texas. He then transferred to Sul Ross State College in Alpine, Texas where he received his Bachelor’s Degree before getting his Master’s Degree at Stephen F. Austin University. During college he became interested and got involved in baseball and went on to start his coaching career at Orangefield High School in 1959. In 1960, he decided to become part of the West Orange Chief’s as Head Baseball Coach bringing the 1974 team to a championship playoff. During his time at West Orange he served as Assistant Principle for 7 years. Ronnie then continued his coaching career with the merger of West Orange-Stark Mustangs bringing the 1991 team to a championship playoff and then retired after coaching for 31 years. He had a passion for not only the development and success of his student athletes he coached but, also for athletes in neighboring communities and into Louisiana as well. After his retirement, Coach Anderson was recognized and inducted into the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2003 & into the Southeast Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 2013. Ronnie loved deer hunting, fishing, and golfing with his family and friends as he enjoyed this all of his life. He will be missed dearly by so many and his legacy lives on forever.
He was preceded in death by his parents RW & Mattie Lou Anderson; his first wife, Elizabeth Lucille “Betty Lou” Anderson; his second wife, Wilma Jane Anderson; his sister, Ruth Lynell Scales; and his brother, Keith William Anderson.
Those left to cherish his memory include his son, Ryke Wynne Anderson and his wife Gina of Lafayette, LA; two step-sons, James David Monaco and his wife Sharon, of San Antonio, TX and Michael Francisco Monaco and his wife Rachelle, of Savannah, TN; grandchildren, Ryant Wynne Anderson, Ragan Wayne Anderson, Alaina Suzanne Hennigan, Lauren Ashley Cormier, Tenicia Anne Gonzales, James Brodie Monaco, Devin Taylor Monaco and his wife Lucille, Steven Monaco, Garrett Monaco, and Heather Pennington ; great grandchildren, Gage Julian Gonzales, Isabella KayMarie Gonzales, Iam Monaco, Jackson Monaco, Jett Pennington, and Kenslynn Monaco; his brother, Donald Lee Anderson and his wife Mary, of San Antonio, TX; and his brother-in-law, Harold Scales, of Bridge City, TX.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate that donations be sent to a Go Fund Me account that has been setup in memory of Coach Ronnie Anderson that will directly benefit the West Orange-Stark Mustangs Baseball Program in his legacy.
The link to this account is gofundme.com/coachronnieanderson-wosbaseball