William Gorden

Obituary For William Gorden

W C Gorden Obituary

William Cordell Gorden, 90, departed his earthly life and went to be with the Lord on Friday night, October 23, 2020 at home surrounded by family. Affectionately known as “Coach”, W.C. Gorden was born to Reverend Henry Payton “H P” Gorden and Carrie Hill Gorden on June 30, 1930 in Nashville, Tennessee. Coach Gorden was reared in a home where his parents placed a premium value on religion, education and civic involvement. Coach Gorden graduated from Pearl High School in Nashville (1948) where he played football and baseball. He attended Tennessee State University in Nashville (1948-1952) where he was a four-year letterman in baseball (first base) and a two-year letterman in football (wide receiver). After college, “WC” served in the United States Army from 1953 to 1955.

In 1956, W C Gorden embarked on an extraordinary career as a football coach, first on the high school level and then on the collegiate level. He also met and married the love of his life, Vivian Alfreda Howard Gorden, a native of Richland, Mississippi, in 1958. They would have celebrated their 61-year anniversary later this year. They have two sons, Craig and Robin. He loved his family. He doted over his grandchildren. God, family and coaching were part of his mantra. He began his coaching career at Pike County Agricultural High School and later Eva Gordon High School in Magnolia, Mississippi where he served as head coach of football, baseball, basketball and track and field. He coached there from 1956 to 1966. He moved on to Temple High School in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1966 where his football team won the high school Big 8 State Championship with an 11-0 record.

In 1967, Gorden was hired as an assistant football coach at Jackson State University. He was an assistant for 10 years, the last six of which were served as defensive coordinator. He also was the Tigers’ head baseball coach in 1966 and 1967 during which time the baseball team won the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship. Named as the Interim Head Football Coach in 1976 with two games remaining on the season schedule, Gorden was elevated to Head Coach in 1977, which gave his rise to a 15-year run of tremendous success. When Gorden retired from coaching in 1992, he had become the winningest coach in JSU history with a 119-48-5 record. His 72 percent winning percentage and 119 career victories ranked among the top 10 among active Division I-AA head football coaches at the end of the 1991 season. Gorden’s teams dominated the SWAC during the 1980s winning five outright conference titles and tying for the league title twice. Gorden’s eighth SWAC title came in 1990. One of Gorden’s crowning achievements as JSU’s football coach was to lead the Tigers to a SWAC record 28 consecutive league victories from 1985 to 1989. His teams made nine trips to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. He was named SWAC Coach of the Year six times.

During Gorden’s time as assistant coach and head coach (1966-1992), Jackson State had 70 players drafted into the NFL, including 32 during the time he was head coach. Five of Jackson State’s seven NFL first round draft picks came during Gorden’s affiliation with the football program. Of all the team and individual player accomplishments achieved on the field of play, and they were numerous, what Gorden was most proud of was his players achievements in the classroom. He insisted that they go to class and pass. If you didn’t go to class, you didn’t play. In 1989, an investigative article by the Clarion Ledger showed JSU graduated more football players than any public school in the SWAC, SEC or the Metro Conference. The Tigers graduated 61.9 percent of the recruits who came to JSU in the fall of 1981 or 1982. Gorden was named Director of Athletics at Jackson State in 1992, a position he held until 1994. Gorden received numerous awards and honors during and after his career at Jackson State. Among those are his induction into the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Mississippi, Jackson State, National Football Foundation and Colleges and Black College Sports Halls of Fame. He has also received the JSU Alumni Achievement Award and the Southwestern Athletic Conference Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

Since his retirement, Gorden had remained busy serving on various boards, many national and local committees and civic organizations. He served on the board of the Pearl River Valley Board of Directors, board member of the Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center Board of Directors, Board of Directors for the City of Jackson Planning and Development and a member of the Monday Evening Club. A devout Christian, Gorden was a very active member of Central United Methodist Church in Jackson. He was an active part of the United Methodist Men, Bible Class member and the Central United Methodist After School Program.

At home, Gorden had a passion for yard work. His yard was always immaculate. When he wanted to relax, he listened to his extensive collection of jazz music. His favorite hobby was collecting jazz albums. He has over 5,000 jazz albums in his collection.

Coach Gorden is survived by his wife of 61 years, Vivian; sons Craig and Robin; grandchildren, Craig, Jr.(Eryn), Robyn, Michael, Kamera and Kayla; two daughters-in-law, Pamela Tucker Gorden and Vonda Gorden, two nephews, Gerald Selby and Walter Haith; one niece, Kim Haith and one great nephew Douglas Selby and a host of other relatives and friends. Coach Gorden was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Rosetta Gorden Selby and Francis Gorden Haith; and brother Henry Warren Gorden.