BATON ROUGE, La. – Dr. Bill Bankhead, a 2021 inductee into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame and an international athletics executive, passed away Wednesday in Baton Rouge at the age of 89.
Bankhead, who was born in Bay City, Texas, later moved with his family to Baton Rouge and attended Catholic High School. After serving with the U.S. Marines in Korea, Bankhead graduated from LSU and started the university’s men’s gymnastics program in 1960, serving as head coach for eight years.
He also in 1960 revived the LSU swimming program, which had been discontinued during World War II. Bankhead was named the 1967 Southern Intercollegiate Gymnastics Coach of the Year.
He became the first director of the brand new LSU Assembly Center in 1971 and served in that capacity until 1982. During his tenure, the Assembly Center was voted each year by the International Association of Auditorium Managers as one of the Top 10 facilities in the U.S.
Bankhead in the 1970s was one of the first administrators to coordinate women’s sports and Title IX compliance at LSU, and he was the driving force behind attracting prominent athletics events to the university, including the 1983 Special Olympics World Games, the 1985 U.S. Olympic Committee National Sports Festival and the 2001 National Olympic Senior Games.
He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Mary Ann Bankhead, sister-in-law Janet Burja, sons John (Carla) and Dan (Tiffany), grandchildren William, Elizabeth, Katherine and Ian. He was preceded in death by his father William H. Bankhead Sr., mother Cordelia Whiddon Bankhead, and sister Jolene Broussard.
Visitation will be held at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge, on Friday, January 17, from 9 a.m. until the funeral service at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at [www.resthavenbatonrouge.com.]www.resthavenbatonrouge.com.
Be the first to comment