Remembering Skip Prosser
From those who knew him when he was just starting out in West Virginia; to fans at Xavier; to Wake Forest students and alumni; even to Tar Heels and Hookies: Skip Prosser touched countless lives.
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July 31, 2007 - 09:56 PM
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Prosser Family. As parents of a Wafe Forest Grad we are deeply saddened by this great loss.
— Bill and Sue Traeger
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July 31, 2007 - 09:29 PM
As a 1984 North Carolina Alumni, I have had a place in my heart for many, many years for the Deamon Deacons! My second team really. I've enjoyed and will continue to enjoy the rivalry in the future, I think. But, Mr. Skip Prosser brought that feeling to another level and I am one guy that will miss seeing him on the court! My dad passed under similiar circumstances a few years ago, and I know how you feel, and grieve with the family! I really do! God bless!
— Mark Krotchko, Salisbury
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July 31, 2007 - 08:01 PM
we send you our deepest sympathy on the death of Coach Skip Proesser. As parents of a Wake Forest grad we are deeply sorry.
— barbara and dick myers
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July 31, 2007 - 07:33 PM
Three years ago my daughter started her freshman year at Wake. In mid-October we visited campus for homecoming weekend. My then 9 year old son, Petey, was determined to get Chris Paul's autograph...and when he was lucky enough to meet Justin Gray in the Pit, he immediately asked him for help. Justin was great. Next thing you know we're all in Coach Prosser's office looking for CP. After a quick hello with the coach, a tour of the locker room and a meeting with Chris, my son was so starry eyed that he insisted we visit practice that same afternoon. Again, Coach Prosser was there and allowed us to stay as long as we wanted to...even having a team manager give my son the day's printed program. Justin and Chris repeatedly waved at him as they ran up and down the court. Petey was on cloud nine. Unbelievable, he was even able to get a ball autographed by the whole team. What a thrill.
The follwing year, we again were fortunate to run into Justin Gray...who recalled Petey and invited us to a team workout and some pictures. Upon our arrival, Coach Prosser seemed to remember us from the year before. He patiently talked with my son and made sure all the players that came by said hello to Petey and had their pictures taken with him. Coach Prosser, of course, also had his own picture taken Petey...which now hangs proudly in Petey's room.
Now maybe it was Petey's red hair which made Coach Prosser remember him and repeatedly rub his head...but I don't think so. He was, I believe, just that type of a guy...a good man who loved kids and remembered what it was like to be one.
Coach Prosser will be sorely missed...but certainly not forgotten. My sincerest condolences to his family.
Pete Spaeth
— Peter Spaeth, class of '74
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July 31, 2007 - 07:18 PM
I bleed old gold and black. Thanks for the memories coach.
— Chris Kernersville, NC
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July 31, 2007 - 07:04 PM
Coach, your life was, quite simply, a job well done. Thanks.
— Beth Taylor Sparks \'76, \'78
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July 31, 2007 - 06:40 PM
When I heard the news of Coach Prosser's passing on the radio while I was at work, I cried, then called my husband to tell him of the sad news. Coach Prosser is the same age as I am. As the days have passed, I wondered why he was taken so early and not me. He has done so much to mold young men and women and contributed so much in every place and endeavor he has been involved in. We have been Wake fans for over 30 years and were members of the Deacon club for over 19 years and love WFU.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Prosser family, Wake Forest University and all the friends of Skip and his family. Thank you for sharing him with us these past years. He has indeed left a legacy that will never be forgotten.
— shirley crotts
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July 31, 2007 - 06:05 PM
Wake is a very special place which was made that much better when Coach arrived. He was nicer to the average fan ,like myself, than he had to be and that says volumes about his character. He will be missed.
— Steve MacDonald '91
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July 31, 2007 - 06:01 PM
"These are the times that try men's souls"...words that Skip Prosser used to inspire his team are now needed to lift up the Wake Family; all those who knew Coach Prosser and many more of us who knew of him. Screamin' Deamons, camp outs with Krispy Kremes, the fiery red head on the sideline of the games...these are memories that will stay with our daughter long after she graduates next year....the academia will soon be forgotten...Skip will not.
Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his wife and sons, his players, his many friends, colleagues, students, and anyone whose life he may have touched in some small way...the number is endless.
The Kent Family
— The kent Family
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July 31, 2007 - 05:33 PM
I wish I had been fortunate enough to have met Coach Prosser. He sounds like an incredible human being. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
— Jennifer Rierson (WFU 89)
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July 31, 2007 - 05:15 PM
I'm on faculty at the medical school. I'm writing because of the influence Coach Prosser had on my son, Wesley. Wesley is 11 and he's been attending the Skip Prosser Basketball school for the last 3 years. One day before camp I told Wes that if he acted out, the coaches would let me know. At the first camp, Coach Prosser talked about the ABCs of his camp and under character said if the kids didn't act right, he would let the parents know. Later that week, Coach Prosser approached me just to ask who my son was. We chatted for a while and my son saw the interaction. He came up to me afterwards saying "You really do know Coach Prosser." He was so taken, he made it a point to behave at the camps. Since then if he misbehaves during basketball practice I ask him what Coach Prosser would think and he falls back in line. Thanks Skip. We'll miss you.
— Guy K. Palmes, M.D.
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July 31, 2007 - 04:59 PM
What a class act. What a good man. Coach Prosser will definitely be missed. I wish to extend my condolences to his family.
I remember shaking Coach Prosser's hand outside the RBC Center in 2003 when the Deacs wrapped up the regular season ACC title.
— Holly Powell, '93
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July 31, 2007 - 04:48 PM
Good game, Coach
— WFU '95
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July 31, 2007 - 04:08 PM
Our friend "SKIP" has flown away to coach on "GODS" team and that is a wonderful relief to us all.
An out going guy at football games shaking hands with fans like me at the field house, you would have made a great college football Coach "SKIP" pulling double duty walking the sidelines.
I will miss you my friend "SKIP" and all of the Wake Forest fans Football & Basketball will also, you inspired all of us with how to do things in our lives one day we will meet you again "SKIP" ready to shake your hand.
— Roy Deskins
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July 31, 2007 - 03:45 PM
One word: Electricity!
— Jack Wilkerson
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July 31, 2007 - 01:16 PM
Our youth group was working a Wake Forest Football game one time and I saw Coach standing out in the breezway. He spoke to me like he new me and we had never meat before. I'm a Carolina fan but have always had a soft sopt of WF sports since I live in Kernersville. Coach Prosser will surley be missed by all! Our thoughts and prayers are with his family!! God Bless You Coach!!!
— Ellen Ferrell
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July 31, 2007 - 12:43 PM
I missed out on being on campus for the Prosser years, but it was obvious he brought that certain "something" to the team and tapped into abilities no one else had. My condolences and prayers go to his family and my Deacon family. Rest in peace, Coach.
— Adia Crawford '98
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July 31, 2007 - 09:36 AM
Our prayers and thoughts are with the Prosser and Wake Forest families. Skip was a true gentleman and great coach. Now many more know why it was so hard for Xavier fans to see their great coach leave for Wake Forest. God bless Skip!
Xavier Grad '53
— Bill Haines
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July 31, 2007 - 09:31 AM
For 5 years in a row, my son and I attended Skip's father/son b-ball camp on father's day week end. Skip was at the camp the entire time. Skip used b-ball to bring fathers and sons together, as well as all of us closer to him as he reflected on his life with his father. From that little boy who finished a baseball game with a broken arm, to the man who brought hundreds of fathers and sons closer together, God Blessed us all who knew him, as God will be with the Prosser family and the Wake family in celebrating his life!
— Carson Sublett, c/o '83
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July 31, 2007 - 08:49 AM
Skip and I taught together at Wheeling Central Catholic 79/80. I will never forget him and his kindness. I had lost a hip in Vietnam and was not able to get it replaced until 1987. It was difficult to get around. Skip asked me one day if I'd play in a faculty basketball game for charity. I was flattered but told him I would be a liability. He told me, "We're playing the Army Recruiters...thought you might want to get back at them. You just hang out under the basket, we'll get you the ball." I painfully played but had a great time and yes, we beat the Army! This is just one of his many, many kindnesses to people. I followed his career since. As a Carolina Grad I was worried when he came to Wake but so very happy for him. I would like to thank Ed Bradley, (Wake Hall of Fame), for the phone call. He knew how much I cared for this fine man. RIP Skip, hope you'll let me play one more time some day when we meet again!
— Tom Lane
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July 31, 2007 - 03:18 AM
A few years ago I had the privilage of walking the campus of Wake Forest Univesity the same campus that my dad did back from 1981-1984. I've always have been a big Wake Forest fan, especially for basketball. I was in utter shock when I opened Wake's Athletics page to find that Skip had passed. I watched Skip and the Deacs from my home in Virginia, my heart and condolesences go out to the Prosser and Wake Forest Family.
Tom Sherman('84) & Family
— Tom Sherman
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July 31, 2007 - 12:38 AM
As a freshman at WFU, I had the privelege of living in Piccolo- definitely worth the walk. Every day, Skip would arrive to school at the same time I would be walking to my 9:00am MWF class. I remember thinking, "Wow! It's Skip!" So many of my friends at larger schools talked of sightings like this as though they were something of a celebrity encounter, but I came to see them as more or less part of the small-school experience.
Over the course of the year, these meetings came to be a part of my schedule- we would know when the other was late based on where I was in my walk when he arrived. I won't forget one spring morning; it was raining and I was running particularly late. At this point, Skip had come to recognize me as one of his "bandidos"- a player in the pep band. As I struggled to roll up my pant legs in the morning drizzle, I heard a faint "Bandido, you're going to miss roll call!" I looked down the sidewalk to see a smiling Skip closing his car door.
It's common meetings likes this and this type of interaction Skip had with everyone at Wake that will be most sorely missed. My condolences go out to his family; a truly special man has passed. Wake Forest has been a better place for his presence, and he leaves some awfully large shoes to be filled.
Thanks, Skip, for a great tenure. I look forward to the day when I'll see you on the Quad at midnight again.
Until that day, however, let it be heard above all else...Go Deacs!
— Elizabeth G. WFU 08
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July 31, 2007 - 12:21 AM
Thursday, July 26, about 3:45 PM, while at work, I was told that I had a call waiting. As soon as I heard my daughter's voice I knew something was wrong. She told me that Skip Prosser had died. For a few seconds, I felt that time stood still and it couldn't be true. When our daughter ('06) entered Wake we started watching all the football and basketball games. Living in SC, we are especially excited when our Deacons win against Clemson. Unfortunately, my husband and I have never attended a game at Joel, but we always watched on TV, cheering as if we were at the game. We felt the excitement of the fans in the coliseum. We also observed how respectful Coach Prosser was to his players, fans and competitors. Having just recently lost two members of our family, who were also Wake fans, we feel the pain of the Prosser family. You are in our thoughts and prayers. We have read so many wonderful comments and memories that friends, fans, students and others have written about Skip. He was truly one of God's gifts to Wake Forest and the world. We hope that knowing how much he meant to so many people will help to comfort you in time. We know that my mother and brother in law will welcome him to heaven where they will still cheer on the Demon Deacons.
— Sharon and Kailash Gaggar
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July 30, 2007 - 11:22 PM
I feel so honored and fortunate that I was able to get to know Coach at various receptions in Atlanta. I'll always remember literally bumping into him during the torrential downpour before the Ole Miss/WFU football last year. Completely out of context and under the guise of umbrellas and raincoats, Coach recognized me and greeted me by name, talking affably about the weather and commenting that he was glad basketball was an indoor sport! Only Coach Prosser would remember one of thousands of alumni he spent time with during alunni events for Wake...and not only remember, but be geniunely interested in my responses and well-doing. My heart goes out to the entire Prosser family; Wake Forest will never be the same.
Lisa Snodgrass, '95
— Lisa Snodgrass '95
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July 30, 2007 - 10:27 PM
My heart is broken. For our small, wonderful, unmatchable school. For the young men who he has touched so significantly and would have influenced in so many other indelible ways. For my young sons who won't get to see him courtside and see in action the rare gifts and values he offered and lived. And of course, we all ache for Nancy Prosser whom he adored and the sons he treasured. Thank you Mrs. Prosser, for sharing him with us. He surely has been greeted and now enjoys the company of old friends and fellow leaders he followed so aptly. I can imagine him in jovial dialgoue with his often-quoted Grant, Lincoln, Patton, Keats, Wolfe and yes, Bones.
I can only offer my full Deacon-loving support to Ron Wellman, Dino Guardio, Jeff Battle and the entire Deacon basketball program who will go on to represent us in the ways that Skip would have wanted. The best way for us to honor his memory and all that he brought to our school and alma mater, is to turn out, turn up the volume and throw our full hearts behind the men who will have to go on and play with the integrity and class and cohesion that Skip taught like no other. May we all be Skip's Sixth man this season and every season to come.
God bless his beloved family and all of us, from WVa., Pittsburgh, to Cinci to Winston as we grieve him, and then as we go on to sustain and further everything he started, grew and nurtured so perfectly. May we do right by him. I am certain he'll be watching and cheering us on.
Thanks so very, very much, Coach.
— Beth Dawson McAlhany Class of \'89
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July 30, 2007 - 09:47 PM
One Saturday, my son talked me into taking him to the campus to watch a Deacon practice. I doubted we'd be allowed into the inner sanctum on the day before Wake played State, but Chase was confident. I tried to be inconspicuous as we entered the unlocked gym and took our seats in the bleachers. No person of authority marched over to escort us out. Instead, Coach Prosser walked by and invited us to stick around. "They'll sign for you after practice if you want," Skip said to Chase, another redhead.
At one point, Skip blew his whistle and jumped all over a walk-on reserve whose defense disappointed his coach. After the harange, Skip turned to us, winked, and said "I never told him it'd be easy!"
We stayed for the better part of two hours. After practice, Jamal Levy invited Chase to shoot a few with him. Moments later, my ten-year-old was feeding bounce passes to a jump-shooting Justin Gray. And, yes, Josh Howard did sign for Chase after Josh shot about a hundred three-pointers from the corners.
I doubt a grade-school kid could walk uninvited into any other big-time school's gym and enjoy such an experience. Surely, no big-time school has a coach whose stock-in-trade includes so many unpublicized gestures that mean the world to a wide-eyed kid -- and his Dad. Thanks, Coach.
— Kevin Mauney
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July 30, 2007 - 09:02 PM
From Jackson, Mississippi the Wrights send condolences to the Prosser family and Wake Forest on your loss.
— Cecil & Maude Wright
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July 30, 2007 - 08:45 PM
Nancy, Scott, Mark and Abbey,
My heartfelt sympathies to you on the loss of a dear husband, father, and faithful companion. I hope that knowing many, many others loved him as well is somehow a comfort to you.
I have been a Deacon fan for 50+ years as well as a proud Wake alumnus and I've never seen our city and University influenced so positively as they have been by Coach Prosser. I never had the honor and privilege of meeting him in person, but I saw the kind of man he was every time he stepped out on the court or held a press conference or shook a fan's hand.
Thanks for sharing this most special man with our community. You all will be part of our family forever.
Tonight I noticed the heavens were much brighter than usual. A new star has lighted the way forus below.
Rest well, Coach.
Linda H. Sutton '67
— Linda H. Sutton
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July 30, 2007 - 07:44 PM
I played on Duke teams against Coach Prosser's teams for four years. Though our rivalry with Wake Forest was heated and intense you can't help but respect Coach Prosser for how hard his players played for him, how much his fans supported him, and how well he did his job. It is a shame to lose him far too early. RIP
— Patrick Johnson
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July 30, 2007 - 07:22 PM
I admired Coach Prosser's dedication to coaching and his passion for his student athletes. He was a total class act and will greatly be missed.
— DukeAlumn03
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