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July 7, 1928 – June 13, 2018
Long-time Glendale High School baseball coach Don Provance passed
away June 13, 2018 just a few weeks shy of his 90th birthday. After a
long, full life, Don succumbed to a sudden illness at Cox South while
surrounded by all of his loving family.
Don was born in Joplin, MO to Archie Louis Provance and Clara Mitts
Provance on July 7, 1928. He grew up in Aurora, MO with his two
older brothers, Ray and Roy Provance, and their adopted brother Bill
Maynard. Don was an avid sportsman and renowned local athlete and
coach whose sense of humor was as famous as his athleticism. From
1946-1949 Don played football at SMS, where he was an MIAA
all-conference first selection in 1948. After college, Don served in the
U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Korean War. After his time in the
service, Don taught at Lockwood for a few years where he met the love
of his life Patti (Hunter) Provance, whom he married shortly thereafter.
In 1958, they moved to Springfield after Don took a teaching and
coaching job at Parkview High School, where he taught for 5 years. In
1963, Don moved to the newly opened Glendale High School where he
taught drivers education and became an assistant football coach and
started his epic journey as head baseball coach. During his 29 years at
Glendale, Don’s baseball teams won a total of 8 Ozark Conference
Titles, 12 District Titles, made it to the Missouri State Quarter Finals
four times, and won the State Championship twice, in 1976 and 1978.
On May 27, 1956, Don was married to his wife Patti – this past May
they celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary! Together, Don and
Patti had six boys: Don Jr., David, Doug, Dwight, Dan, Dennis.
Don was proceeded in death by his mother, father, three brothers, and
his son Dwight. Don is survived by his wife Patti, son Don Jr. and wife
Susan, son David and wife Jen, son Doug and wife Mary, son Dan and
wife Mary Beth, son Dennis, 8 grandchildren, 4 step-granddaughters,
numerous great-grandchildren, and his nieces Christy Warren and
Cathy Wingo.
Visitation will be held Sunday, June 17, 2018 at Gorman-Scharpf
Funeral Home at 1947 East Seminole from 4-6:00 p.m. with a Rosary
to follow at 6:00. The funeral mass will be at Holy Trinity Catholic
Church, Monday, June 18, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be at
Maple Park Cemetery in Springfield.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Donald L. Provance
Scholarship Fund at MSU for Glendale High School Baseball, attn:
Brent Dunn.
Born: July 7, 1928
Death: June 13, 2018