Mark W. Williams: Bedford gymnastics coach led teams to nine titles

By JOE SIMNACHER / The Dallas Morning News

Mark W. Williams had a passion for gymnastics that he used to shape nine Texas high school championship teams as well as top state honors for 48 individuals.

Since 1988, he had coached the Trinity High School boys gymnasts to two state titles.

Last week, the National Gymnastics Judges Association presented Mr. Williams with the Frank J. Cumiskey Gymnastics Judging Hall of Fame Award in the hospital where he was battling colon cancer.

Mr. Williams, 59, died Saturday at his Bedford home of complications of the cancer.

Friends, family and many of those he had coached will celebrate his life at 3 p.m. today in the Trinity High School auditorium in Euless.

"He truly loved gymnastics," said his wife, Debbie Williams, girls gymnastics coach at L.D. Bell High School in Hurst.

"That was his passion, that was his hobby, that was his job. And he was good at it."

Mr. Williams "didn't expect anything less of kids than what he expected of himself – and they knew that," his wife said.

"He definitely knew how to get the best out of them."

While her husband appeared to be serious and stoic at all times, he was also very sensitive, Mrs. Williams said.

"If you watched his kids when they did well, he always got big tears in his eyes," she said, adding that he also was a committed father and husband.

Mr. Williams was born in Oil City, Pa., and grew up in Garland, where he graduated from Garland High School.

He started gymnastics on the trampoline in high school and expanded his skills at North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas, where he received a bachelor's degree in 1974.

In 1970, he began his career while he was a college student, coaching the Garland Flippers Club. He coached the club until 1984.

Mr. Williams began his teaching career at North Junior High in Richardson in 1976.

In 1977, he joined the faculty at North Garland High School, where he coached the boys to five state championships and the girls to two.

In 1984, Mr. Williams became assistant men's gymnastics coach at the University of Oklahoma, a post he held until 1987, when he returned home to coach South Garland and Garland high schools.

In 1988, he joined the faculty at Trinity High School, where his boys teams would win titles in 1990 and 2002, and at least five of his teams were runners-up.

He retired from teaching in 2006 but continued coaching.

Mr. Williams was the first recipient of the Region III Mark Williams Award, given for either coaching or officiating.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Williams is survived by two sons, Chris Williams of Fort Worth and Trip Bellard of Boston; a daughter, Cass Lynn of Bedford; his mother, Jean Atkin of Garland; a brother, Jay Williams of Garland; two sisters, Jody Williams and Linda Williams, both of Garland; and one grandchild.

Memorials may be made to the Mark Williams Gymnastics Scholarship, which was established two years ago by one of his former students.

The scholarship awards $5,000 each year to a Bell or Trinity gymnast. Donations may be sent in care of Debbie Williams at L.D. Bell High School, 1601 Brown Trail, Hurst, Texas 76054.