H. W. "Bill" Hargiss
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H. W. 'Bill' HargissBill Hargiss obituary in the Topeka Capitol-Journal
The Topeka Capitol-Journal

     LAWRENCE — Homer W. "Bill" Hargiss, 91, Lawrence, a former Topekan, died Sunday in a hospital here.
     He formerly was head coach of football and track at the University of Kansas and earlier had been an athletic standout and coach at Kansas State Teachers College at Emporia.
     Mr. Hargiss served as executive secretary to the Kansas State Athletic Commission several years after he retired from active coaching and served in 1960 as a coach for the Air Force Olympics team at Oxnard, Calif.
     He was a charter member of the Kansas Athletic Hall of Fame and was a member of the National Athletic Hall of Fame.
     He was born Sept. 1, 1887, in Cherokee County and spent his early life in the Beulah community south of Girard. He attended Beulah High School and was graduated from Kansas State Teachers College at Emporia in 1909.
     Mr. Hargiss was captain of the football, track, and basketball teams at Kansas State Teachers College where he also played baseball and was a member of the glee club and debating society.
     He was coach at Marion High School a year and later was the coach at the College of Emporia. He was head football coach at Emporia State four years before he went to Corvallis, Ore., where he spent a year coaching at Oregon State University.
     In 1920, he returned to Emporia where he was head coach and athletic director at Kansas State Teachers College until 1927.
fie was head football and track coach at the University of Kansas from 1928 to 1932. He relinquished duties as head football coach in 1932, but continued as a scout, freshman football coach, and as head track coach at the university until 1943.
     He served overseas during World War II as a recreation director for the armed forces.
     He was a real estate agent in Topeka before he was named executive secretary to the State Athletic Commission. He formerly lived at 1277 Randolph.
     He was married to the former Vera Strickler of Solomon. She died in 1955.
     Survivors include a son, Willard Clark Hargiss, Pittsburgh, Pa.; two daughters, Dr. Genevieve F. Hargiss, at home, and Mrs. Shirley Oberheide, St. Louis, Mo.; a brother, Meade T. Hargiss, Sun City, Calif.; a sister, Mrs. Vetra Beringer, Salina; two granddaughters and four grandsons.
     Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Maplewood Cemetery at Emporia. Mr. Hargiss will lie in state until 10 a.m. Wednesday at Rumsey Funeral Home at Lawrence.