William Glenn Poland

William Glenn Poland was born in Lufkin on July 22, 1940 to Maxi Lee Poland and Jacie Poland. They called him “Billy”, and he would later be known as “Bill” to the many friends he would have throughout his long life.

He grew up around baseball, and spent his earliest years at the baseball park gathering foul balls for extra spending money. His mother would say that the neighborhood children wore out the doorbell asking Billy to play sandlot games every evening.

His family moved between Lufkin, Silsbee and Beaumont, but no matter where he ended up, he played baseball. A former classmate told him that the Lufkin high school baseball team would have made it to the finals if not for Billy moving to Silsbee that same year.

His parents took care of him the best they could, he worked alongside his father at the Lufkin Paper Mill, and with his mother at the Sears Roebuck warehouse, and he in turn took care of them the best he could. At the young age of 18, Billy lost his father to lung cancer. He spent every day and night by his father’s side until the end.

At the age of 19, Billy joined the Army, and the peace time allowed him to continue doing what he loved while serving his country. He travelled across America playing for the Army baseball team. This opportunity afforded him some of his favorite memories--travelling by train through the Appalachians and touring the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.

After the Army, he enrolled at Sam Houston State University on the GI Bill, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, and later a Masters in Administration from Lamar University. While at Lamar, he began coaching baseball, and was able to spend more time with his mother in neighboring Lufkin.

In 1979, Bill eventually settled in the Lake Jackson/Clute area at Brazoswood High School, where he began not only his accomplished coaching career. He also met home economics teacher Katherine Albert; they were soon married, and not long after, welcomed a daughter, Amy Poland, and a son, Jason Poland.

He enjoyed recreation with his family and friends at the neighborhood Racquetball Club, weekends at the family beach house in Galveston, and Thanksgivings in Lufkin with his relatives.

Among his many, many coaching achievements and career wins, Bill led the Brazoswood Buccaneers baseball team to the State Championship twice, and holds a place in the Texas High School Baseball Hall of Fame.

Bill spent his retirement at his Galveston beach house, the aptly named “Bill’s Get-a-Way,” where he enjoyed lazy drives on his golf cart, visits from his kids and friend Miss Carold, Blue Bell Ice Cream and Diet Cokes, and any Western movie starring John Wayne.

Bill will be remembered as a loving father and son, having taken care of his mother, Maxie Poland, until her death in 2012. He will be missed by anyone he coached, cared for, or kidded. He passed away on April 4, Easter Sunday, 2021.

He is survived by his daughter, Amy Poland; his son, Jason Poland; the mother of his children, Katherine Albert; his cousins, Mary Hathorn, Peggy Sue Gullatt, Jack McClain, Mack McClain, as well as numerous relatives and friends.

Mr. Poland is preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; cousin, Miriam Nichol; aunts, Ida Lee McClain and Juanita Kanaster.

Mr. Poland’s family wishes to thank the staff of Elmcroft Assisted Living Lake Jackson, the nurses of Texas Home Health Lake Jackson, the nursing staff of Oak Village especially Jennifer and Amy, CHI St. Luke’s Hospital - Lake Jackson and Dr. Harvey Resnick.

They also wish to give special thanks to friends Ardie Dixon, Jim Arthur, Danny Massey, Bobby Williams, Brady Mayo, Bob Cook, and Carold Wortham, and everyone who cared for, called, and visited him during the final chapter of his life.

Services for Mr. Poland will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday April 10, 2021 in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel in Lufkin, Texas. Interment will follow at the Manning Cemetery in Angelina County.

Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com

Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home.