Williamsville, NY - Veteran Coach Greg Stang, passed away last week, after suffering a sudden stroke. The Section 6 community has been adamant in showing their support for all those affected.
Gregory J. Stang, of Clarence Center, a teacher and award-winning track coach, died Monday in Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Amherst, after suffering a brain hemorrhage. He was 63.
Mr. Stang began teaching English at Williamsville North High School in 1972 and started coaching track and cross country in the mid-1970s. He retired from the classroom in 2005 but continued to serve as a coach.
He twice was selected as Erie County Interscholastic Conference cross country coach of the year, in 2003 and 2005, by other ECIC coaches. He was named Section VI cross country coach of the year in 2005, the year his team won the ECIC Division I championship and the sectional championship in Class AA.
His cross country teams won nine of 10 all-Amherst championships since 2003 and were Class A sectional champions in 2009 and Class AA champions in 2010.
Channel 7 named him indoor track coach of the year in 1990.
He also had proctored Williamsville North’s varsity and junior varsity basketball games since 1972.
Born in Buffalo, he attended high school at Diocesan Preparatory Seminary, attended Canisius College and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Buffalo State College.
A Civil War buff and poet, he published a book of free verse, “Lifelines: Empowering You to Happiness, Success and Salvation,” which won a Readers’ Favorite Award in 2010. He also was a Eucharistic minister.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, the former Lydia Skowron; four sons, Michael, Jason, David and Jared; his father, Sylvester; two brothers, Richard and Robert; two sisters, Linda and Joanne Scrimshaw; and seven grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Pius X Catholic Church, 1700 North French Road, Getzville.
Friday
Today, at the WNY Relays Large Schools meet, the Williamsville North Indoor Track & Field senior captains paid their respects to Greg Stang, on behalf of themselves, the Williamsville North community and Section VI, by reading one of Greg's favorite poems he wrote, "Ode to a Spartan Runner." Each captain read a verse from the poem. It was a moving tribute to one of the Section's most beloved coaches.
The photo at left is a collage which summed up today's meet. At Greg's wake tonight, many family and friends attended, of which many were Will North running alumni, to pay their last respects to a man who impacted their lives in a very positive way. The many photos (and memorabilia) of Greg's family life were equally matched with photo images depicting his many years of coaching XC and track & field.
Thank you Greg for your many years of devotion to the running sports but most of all your commitment to the many student-athletes in the classroom an the XC courses and tracks. You are already greatly missed.
Saturday's arrangements: Saturday, Dec 28 9:15am, prayers at Urban Bros Funeral Home, 10am Mass at St. Pius RC Church on North French near the 990 in Amherst.
Saturday
A FOND FAREWELL
Greg Stang - May 1, 1950 – Dec. 23, 2013
Williamsville North XC and Track & Field Coach
Yesterday, Saturday December 28, a memorial service was held at St. Pius RC Church in Amherst for Greg Stang. As expected, the church was packed with family, friends and student-athletes from around Section VI to extend heartfelt condolences to the Stang Family.
As much as memorial services are a sad occasion, in Greg's case, I feel it was a celebration of a man who touched many of us as a husband, father, grandfather, teacher, coach, poet and dear friend. His hearty chuckle, the firm handshake with the giant mitt of his hand, the countless stories of his past and present student-athletes will all be sorely missed but yet, these are the memories we take from the privilege of knowing Greg. I can't help but smile.
Photos at left - Williamsville North XC and track & field student-athletes formed an honor guard outside the church to honor Coach Stang. Photos courtesy of Sandy Wylie.
