Willard Nelous Tate

Willard Tate, age 74, beloved coach, teacher, minister, and motivational speaker, died at his home on Friday, February 12, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Services honoring his life will be 2:00 pm Thursday, February 18, at the University Church of Christ in Abilene, directed by Piersall Benton Funeral Directors, with Edsel Hughes officiating. Burial will follow at Elmwood Memorial with Willard's grandchildren serving as pallbearers and his former basketball players serving as Honorary Pallbearers. Visitation with the family will be Wednesday from 5:00-7:00 pm at the funeral home, 733 Butternut St.


Willard was born December 23, 1935, in Jefferson County, Alabama, to G. N. and Mabel Tate—the youngest of their four boys. He attended Corner High School, located about 30 miles NW of Birmingham, Alabama, and graduated in 1954. He married Bobbie Nell Campbell, a 1953 Corner graduate, on June 2, 1954. They were blessed with two children—a son, Mark, in 1956, and a daughter, Elisabeth, in 1960. In September 1957 Willard enrolled at Alabama Christian College (now Faulkner University) in Montgomery, Alabama; he received his B.A. in Bible there in 1961. While there, he sang high tenor in a quartet that traveled for the school to recruit students. Taking advantage of summer school and evening classes, he continued his education at Auburn University, receiving his B.S. in social science with a minor in P.E. there in 1963. He repeated the summer school and evening classes at Troy State University, receiving his M.Ed. secondary education there in P.E. in 1965.

When asked if he would be interested in starting an interscholastic sports program at Alabama Christian—High School and College—Willard accepted even though he was preaching, taking classes, and running a garbage route once a week to help with income; he accepted the challenge with full knowledge that the school had no facilities for sports. In the beginning, his practice was done on a dirt court, and games were played in the Goodwin Junior High School gym, during the same period that he was preaching every Sunday at Tuskegee Church of Christ. He built an impressive program at Alabama Christian—so impressive that he caught the attention of Wally Bullington at Abilene Christian.

When offered the job at ACU, Willard accepted, and in the summer of 1973 Willard and his family made the move to Abilene where he coached the men’s ACU Wildcat basketball team for seven years. He also preached for the Hamby Church of Christ during this time, and continued preaching there for a total of 28 years. The 1979-80 team set the school record for wins in a season with 27 as it finished 27-5, won the LSC regular season title, went on to capture the NAIA District IV championship. They went on to the NAIA Division 1 National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., winning the first game 75-55 over Illinois Wesleyan before falling in the second round 56-55 to LeMOYNE-Owen.

Willard Tate compiled a career record of 119-79 in his seven seasons at ACU, finishing with the third-best winning percentage (.601) of any coach in ACU men’s basketball history. During his ACU career he was the LSC Coach of the Year in 1979-80. He coached three all-American players (Andrew Prince, Randall Moore, and Rodney Fedell.) Willard was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame in October 1996.

Beginning in 1980, and until his retirement in 2004, Willard taught several popular courses in the Communication Department at ACU: Adventures in Christian Living, Life Learning Skills, and Communicative Attitudes. He enjoyed as much success in the classroom as he did on the basketball court. He was honored as Teacher of the Year by the College of Professional Studies in 1993. He often said he was still coaching, just a more important game with more players.

He developed several motivational workshops and spiritually- focused family seminars that he presented to churches, family retreats and conferences, and for Christian organizations throughout the U. S. and in six other countries. He spoke in twenty-four states —many times in some of them. He was frequently a featured speaker at university lectureships, including eight years at the Pepperdine University Lectures in Malibu, California. He also was a speaker and teacher at the Yosemite Family Encampment, Red River Family Encampment, Blue Ridge Family Encampment, and Lake Tahoe Encampment. He authored three books, published by the Gospel Advocate Co.: Learning to Love, How to Get What You Want and Want What You Get, and Habits of a Loving Heart.

Willard Tate was also a popular humorist, in demand for Chamber of Commerce banquet, after-dinner speeches, and other civic events, sometimes appearing as “Willer Wood,” a homespun character clad in overalls, toting a banjo that he played with skill. This, also, was produced by the Gospel Advocate in video form. His speeches and sermons were often punctuated by song, including his final sermon preached June 28, 2009, at University Church of Christ, to a packed auditorium. Seated on the stage because standing for extended periods had become too difficult, he gleaned from Learning to Love and Habits of a Loving Heart, twice singing a favorite hymn in a strong clear tenor.

Willard is survived by his wife, Bobbie; his son, Mark and wife Celia, his daughter, Elisabeth Pringle and husband, Rod, all of Abilene; grandchildren: Amber Tate of Fort Worth, Adam, Andrew, and Aric Tate of Abilene, Joshua Pringle and wife, Kallie, and Logan Pringle of Abilene; brothers, Alvie Tate and wife, Ivadell, and Odus Tate and wife, Connie, an uncle, Olin Tate of Birmingham, Alabama, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Willard was preceded in death by his half-brother, Noah E. Tate, his brother, Arnold Edward Tate, his nephew, Ray Tate, and great-nephew, Jeremy Cook, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family has requested that memorials be made to the ACU Basketball Program or Disability Resource’s Pecan Orchard. In addition they would like to offer their appreciation to Dr. Hirsch and his nurses and aids as well as all the staff at Hendrick Hospice Care for their loving care of Willard during his final days. Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.