Russell David Segler

Russell David Segler, 77, passed away Tuesday, April 17, 2007 in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was born June 6, 1929 in Dundee, Texas. Known as Dave and/or Coach Segler, he came to Rockport in 1951 and coached football and basketball in Junior High School through 1952. He became Head Basketball Coach and Assistant Football Coach in High School in 1953 and held that position until 1960. He helped design and oversaw the building of the Aransas County Gymnasium, now known as the Green Gym. Dave created the annual "Toast of the Coast" tournament and coached the first Rockport basketball team that ever went to the state tournament. He coined the phrase for the gym that houses the state tournaments as "The Big House". This turned out into the state theme and still is to this day. He designed the "RF" emblem when it changed to Rockport Fulton High School from Aransas County High School. In 1960, he became the Athletic Director, Head Football Coach and also kept the Head Basketball Coach position. In 1964, he gave up the Head Football Coach position and kept being the Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach until 1971. Dave moved to Laredo as Athletic Director, Basketball Coach and Head of the Physical Education Department at Laredo Junior College and held those positions until 1981. He was inducted to the Gateway to Mexico All Sports Hall of Fame. Coach Dave was the only Rockport coach to go to the college level and to be inducted to the Coastal Bend Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 1999.He moved back to Rockport in 1981 as Assistant High School Principal and held that position until 1989 at which time he became the Junior High School Principal, serving in that position until his retirement in the summer of 1991. He is the first male to retire from the Rockport "school business" with 40 years of service as a teacher, coach and administrator.Dave was preceded in death by his parents, Sidney and Ellen Segler, wife, Mary Lake Segler in 2003 and three brothers, Howard, Harold and Ervin Segler. He is survived by his daughter, Robbie Diane Segler Caballero and husband, Mario of Rockport; his son, Russell David "Rusty" Segler, Jr. and wife, Debbie of College Station, Texas and four grandchildren: Russell David "Tres" Segler III, Kyle Ross Segler, Maci X. Caballero and Shellie Allison Caballero.Visitation will be held from 12:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M., Saturday, April 21, 2007 at Rockport Fulton High School Gymnasium. Funeral Service will be conducted at 1:30 P.M., Sunday, April 22, 2007 at Rockport Fulton High School Gymnasium with interment to follow at Rockport Cemetery. Everyone is invited to visit with the family following the services at a reception to be held at First Baptist Church, Rockport. Expressions of sympathy may be made by sending donations to: In Memory of Coach Dave Segler, Rockport Fulton High School, (Designate your favorite school organization), P.O. Box 907, Rockport, TX 78381Charlie MarshallFuneral Homes& CrematoryRockport-Fulton, Texas1-800-428-2922