Donald Eugene “Gene” Crosley

FISHERS- Donald Eugene “Gene” Crosley, 89, of Fishers – beloved husband, father, brother, grandpa, friend and coach — passed away at the St. Vincent Heart Center on July 26, 2020.He was born August 5, 1930 in Pendleton to Frederick Dale and Helen Rae (McKinney) Crosley.He was a 1948 graduate of Pendleton High School where he was a member of the 1947 Pendleton basketball team, along with his brothers Jack and Jim, which won a regional championship to reach the coveted sweet sixteen. He received his Bachelor’s degree in 1952 and later a Master’s degree from Ball State University where he also competed in track and cross country for the Cardinals.He was a proud US Army veteran serving from 1952-54 while stationed at Fort Breckenridge, KYHe started his teaching and coaching career in San Pierre schools in 1954 where his basketball team defeated a heavily favored and larger school, Plymouth, in sectional play. Hancock Central was his next teaching and coaching assignment starting in 1956 where his basketball team won a conference championship in 1959. In 1961 he arrived at Culver High School where the Culver Citizen newspaper announced his arrival with the tagline “His specialty is upsets over favorites”. During his time at Culver he coached baseball, basketball, golf, track, cross country, and wrestling. He started the golf team at the request of Mel Thomas and stepped in as wrestling coach when the wrestling team lost their coach and requested that he coach the team. He learned wrestling from a book and used his sons as practice so he could learn the moves. His Culver basketball teams were successful and won the 1964 sectional championship. Gene brought his talents to Homestead High School in Ft Wayne in 1970 where along with his coaching he taught general business, accounting, typing, and summer drivers’ education. His Homestead golf teams were perennial powerhouses, winning numerous conference, sectional, and regional titles as well as several trips to the state finals – all enhanced by his annual team spring break golf camping trips. He was assistant coach when the Homestead Spartans won their first basketball sectional championship in 1980 and when they won again in 1981. His cross-country teams were also successful including winning their conference with an undefeated regular season in 1972. Gene retired in 1990 with his wife Betty to an active life of golf, lawn care, gardening, and frequent grandparenting in Fairfield Glade TN where they lived until returning to Indiana in 2014 to live in a cottage home on his son Stan’s property in Fishers, IN. From the moment he first walked onto a basketball court in 1954, Gene was ever after known as “Coach” by his thousands of former players, students, parents, fellow teachers, and coaches, a title that endured long after his retirement. He played dual roles of father/grandpa and coach for all of his kids and grandkids, coaching them in various sports and teaching them to shoot a basketball, hit a golf ball, and swing a bat. From his remarkably detailed memory, he would regale his children and grandchildren with hundreds of stories of his former players, often recounting games and even specific plays and shots — covering all of the schools from San Pierre, to Hancock Central, Culver, and Homestead. While he approached his coaching from a no-nonsense, strategic, and fundamentally sound perspective, he was also fiery, with his teams known for having a lot of heart and a lot of grit, but always playing fair. His fondness for his players was always evident and he maintained frequent contact with many of them throughout his long life.Gene never met a stranger and just like his brothers, approached everything he did with all of his effort, including his final days in the hospital. The morning of the day he went to the hospital and received his diagnosis that resulted in the triple bypass open heart surgery, Gene was lifting weights and exercising in his home. None of which surprised anyone in his family.Gene was a member of Fishers United Methodist Church, Indiana High School Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and Theta Chi Fraternity.Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Betty (Weatherford) Crosley whom he married April 13, 1952; children, Brian (Cathy) Crosley, Denise (Herb) Gaunt, Rodney (Terri) Crosley, Kimberly Crosley and Stanley (Melisa) Crosley; grandchildren, Heather Stultz, Josh Gaunt, Sarah Crosley, Katie Beem, Christopher Crosley, Brandon Crosley, Jordon Crosley, Rachel Lyons, Abigail Dehmlow, and Jacob Crosley; eight great grandchildren; siblings, Jack Crosley, Jim (Marilyn) Crosley, Jon (Sandy) Crosley, and Deborah (Edgar) Kinnaman; and several nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister-in-law, Carol Ruth Crosley.A private visitation and service will be held at Wilson St. Pierre Funeral Service and Crematory, Lahm Chapel, Pendleton. Burial will follow in Grove Lawn Cemetery, Pendleton.Because we were unable to have a public viewing or funeral, we would like to have a drive by to show support for the family.Those interested should arrive at 6:15 pm Wednesday August 5th at Falls Park in Pendleton. This will be the staging area where someone will coordinate getting cars lined up for a 6:30-7:30 drive by the home of Jack Crosley 420 McLoy Dr. Pendleton where the Crosley family will be waiting. Please feel free to decorate your car with signs to show your name and you can wave but no stopping to talk since we will need to respect everyone’s time and a chance to show support. Memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, 5635 W. 96th St., Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46278, Fishers United Methodist Church, 9691 E. 116th St., Fishers, IN 46037 or Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10306.