William Mack

The season of our favorite sport, basketball is winding down. We reflect upon the life of William (Billy) George Mack, who entered the arena on October 17, 1929 in Woodford County, Kentucky. He was first coached by his parents, the late George and Stella Mack. He is the last of eight siblings. He departed this life at home surrounded by family on November 30, 2014.
William accepted Christ at an early age at the First Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky. He joined Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist under ―watch care‖ 1985 under Rev. Freddie Piphus. In 2003, he finally made Lincoln Heights his true church after 18 years under ―watch care‖. He dutifully served on the Sr. Usher Board, Operation Nehemiah Ministry and taught at the Lincoln Heights Christian Academy.
The “first quarter” of his life — his early training and development — took place as he attended his beloved and renowned Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School in Lexing- ton, Kentucky. At Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School, Billy excelled as one of the winning team members of the District and State Championship Basketball Team of 1948.
As the momentum grew, the ―second quarter” Billy forged ahead to improve his skills and built a larger circle of family, friends and fans, especially those he met at Fayetteville State Teachers College, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Under the coaching of the late legendary William ―Gus‖ Gaines, he lead his team to several E.I.A.C. Championships. Uncle Sam called a “time out” — William served his country in the United States Army in the Korean War. He received an Honorable Discharge in 1953.
William graduated from Fayetteville State Teachers College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1954. While attending Fayetteville College, he pledged with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He later earned his Master of Science in Education from Indiana University in 1959. He was joined in holy matrimony to Dorothy Mitchell in 1953 and to this union, they had two children, LaDonna Mack- Schlachter and David Randall Mack. He previously had one daughter, Jeanette Mack. Later he married his ROCK, as he so affectionately called her, Sonia Moultry-Green on May 17, 1975. They were blessed and enjoyed each other to the end for 39 years.
Back into the game. The “Third Quarter” William accepted his first teaching and coaching career at Carver High School in Mt. Olive, North Carolina in 1954 to 1963. In 1963, he and his family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where he taught for the Cincinnati Public School Board for 25 years. Missing the love of children, he subbed for the Cincinnati Board for another 10 years along at the Lincoln Heights Christian Academy.
Fourth Quarter an outstanding achievement for William was being inducted into the Fayetteville State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. Following that he was also inducted into Paul Lawrence Dunbar of Lexington Wall of Fame in Education in 2006. Other recognitions were Lincoln Heights Christian Academy and 40th Annual City of Cincinnati Senior Citizen Hall of Fame in 2007 inducted by the Forever Young Ministry of his church. William was an avid sportsman in any sport he under took; softball, basketball, bowling, and his last, but favorite, golf. He will always be remembered as a mild mannered person that all loved. The final dunk is over and what a slam it was!
William leaves to cherish his memory: a devoted wife, Sonia Mack; children, Jeanette Mack of Louisville, Ken- tucky, LaDonna Mack-Schlachter (Bernard) of Geneva, Switzerland, David Randall Mack of Louisville, Kentucky and Cherie Andrews (Daniel) of Cincinnati, Ohio; one brother-in-law, Clyde Brown Moultry of Cincinnati, Ohio; six grandchildren, Chantel Mack, John Wade, Yolanda Mack, Sheronda Mack of Louisville, Kentucky, Ashley Green and Tea Ferguson, whom he helped raise, of Cincin- nati, Ohio; 16 great-grandchildren and five great-great- grandchildren; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.