Donald A. "Coach" Stemmerich

1931 - 2023

One of the most successful coaches in District 9 history, Donald A. "Coach" Stemmerich, passed away on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. He was 91 years old.

Born in Pittsburgh on June 18, 1931, Don was the son of Victor P. and Louise (Friday) Stemmerich.

Don went to Wilkinsburg High School and played basketball for churches in the Wilkinsburg area.

"I loved basketball," Stemmerich told The Leader-Vindicator in New Bethlehem in a 2014 interview. "I played in those churches (around Wilkinsburg) and they all had gyms and we'd go there and play basketball. But I wasn't very tall. That was the problem. Wilkinsburg was a big school and we graduated 500 kids. I was only probably 6-foot-1 my sophomore year and skinny as a rail, and my family weren't sports enthusiasts and my three brothers didn't even think about sports. But I loved it!"

Wanting to be a teacher, Don enrolled at Clarion State Teachers College (now PennWest Clarion), where he was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity, the Outdoor Club, and the Varsity Club.

By this time, he was 6-foot-7, and Clarion Athletic Director Waldo S. Tippin saw this tall young man playing intramurals.

"I was rebounding and getting above everybody and that's when he saw me and even though he wasn't the basketball coach, he was the football coach, he said why didn't I go out for the basketball team next season?" Stemmerich told the LV. "How many times did you hear about a high school kid who never played high school basketball before making a college team?"

The rest is history.

Coach was a sensational player for the Golden Eagles from 1951-53 leaving the team as the school's all-time leading scorer at the time with 1,070 points.

He led the Golden Eagles in scoring both as a junior and senior and his 22.5 ppg as a senior in 1953 still ranks eighth in school history while his 21.3 ppg as a junior still ranks tenth. When he graduated, those were the top two marks all-time in school history.

Don scored a then school-record 38 points during the 1951-52 season in a win over Thiel at Harvey Hall in Clarion. That was one of four 30-point games that season for Stem.

Stemmerich was also an outstanding baseball player for the Golden Eagles and had a tryout with the New York Yankees in 1953 while also being drafted by the Baltimore Bullets of the NBA in the eleventh round in 1953. However, Stemmerich ended up entering the Army, curtailing any professional basketball career.

"I wanted to be in professional sports," Stemmerich told The Leader-Vindicator. "I had a chance because I was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets of the NBA in 1953. I didn't know what to do. And I also had a tryout with the Yankees that summer.

"That all went by the boards because I had a deferment from the Army waiting for me and we had to go to the service after graduating from college. I didn't mind it, but I had so many good opportunities and things to do with my life, but you had to go. That was all there was to it." Don was stationed in Fort Benning, Georgia. While in the Army he played basketball and baseball for the base teams.

After completing his service time in 1955, he was employed by the Union Joint School District as a high school math teacher and head basketball coach until 1993. His teams were 638-288 and won nine District 9 titles and 12 league championships while finishing second in District 9 three times and qualifying for the PIAA playoffs 14 times. His 1967 and 1974 teams finished second in the state.

In 1974, Don was the recipient of the Rimersburg Chamber of Commerce "Citizen of the Year Award" and his fellow coaches voted him "Coach of the Year" several times.

When Don retired from coaching basketball at Union High School in Rimersburg, he was the all-time winningest coach in District 9 history with 638 career wins, which still stands as the third-most in D9 history.

Stemmerich was inducted into the Clarion University Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. In 1993, the year of his retirement, he was voted into the Western PA All Sports Hall of Fame.

A pillar in the community, Stemmerich served several years as mayor of Rimersburg.

In his spare time, Don enjoyed playing golf, horseshoes and bowling at Ragley's Bowling Alley. He was a very active member of the Lions Club and American Legion Post No. 454 where he served as Chaplin in the Military Funeral Honor Guard, participating in over 200 military funerals.

Don was a Sunday School teacher for over 54 years. He served as a lay leader for over 25 years at the Rimersburg United Methodist Church.

He not only coached, but provided individual tutoring and counseling.

The kids in Sligo were truly blessed for the 25 years that he ran the summer program. He had arts, crafts, pet shows, and every afternoon they picked teams and played basketball.

Don was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jacqueline "Jackie" (Lewis) Stemmerich, whom he married on August 15, 1953 and who passed away on October 4, 2008; his four brothers, Robert, Richard, Clifford and Victor; and dear friend, Mark Rummel.

His memory will be cherished by his son, Greg L. Stemmerich of DuBois; daughter, Heidi J. Wimbush and husband, John, of Virginia Beach, Va; grandchildren, Holly V. Stemmerich, Breanna M. Wimbush and Kyler L. Wimbush; and his wonderful caregivers.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 15, and from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 16, at the Donald A. Stemmerich Gymnasium at Union High School located at 354 Baker Street in Rimersburg, where a Rimersburg Lion's Club service will be held at 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 16.

Additional visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of services at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 17, 2023 at the Rimersburg First United Methodist Church located at 399 Main Street in Rimersburg, with the Rev. John Bargar officiating.

Interment will be in Rimersburg Cemetery, where military honors will be presented by American Legion Post No. 454 and VFW Post No. 7132.

Memorial contributions may be made in Coach's memory to Clarion P.A.W.S., 11348 U.S. 322, Shippenville, PA 16254 or to Veterans Memorial Park, 231 Monterrey Road, Rimersburg, PA 16248.

Arrangements are at the direction of the Bauer-Hillis Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Rimersburg.

For those wishing to send an online condolence to the family, visit www.bauerfuneral.com.