Dr. Harry Walmlsey

Dr. Harry A. Walmsley Dr. Harry "H.A." Walmsley, 86, of Bonita Springs, Florida, went to be with his Lord on August 2nd, 2025 He was born in East Alton, Illinois, and attended the Roxana School District for his elementary and secondary education.

In 1957, H.A. enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve. After his service, he entered Kirksville State Teachers College, then known as Northeast Missouri, on a football scholarship. After graduating, he returned to Roxana High School to teach.

In 1965, Dr. Walmsley was hired by Northeast Missouri State University, later Truman State University, where he taught and coached for 30 years. He was the first wrestling coach there, and his teams won the MIAA Team Championship three times and were twice ranked in the top five in the nation. For his outstanding coaching, he was inducted into the Truman Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.

H.A. Walmsley was also the head tennis coach, and his teams won five MIAA Team Championships and five NCAA Regional Championships. His tennis teams also placed second and fourth in the NCAA National Championship. He was inducted into the Truman Athletic Hall of Fame again in 2011 along with his team. Dr. Walmsley taught at Truman from 1965 to 1995 as a professor of Health and Exercise Science.

He received his B.S. and M.A. degrees from Northeast Missouri in 1961 and 1962, and a specialist certificate in education and administration from Southern Illinois University in 1968. He earned his doctorate from the University of Utah in 1970. In 1979, H. was reunited with his high school sweetheart, Caroline Hensley. They later married in 1984. They owned and operated Two Talls II Eatery and Spirits Restaurant in Kirksville, Missouri. H. was a member of the Shriners and belonged to the Moolah Temple. He was involved in various professional organizations, including Phi Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Sigma Epsilon, and the U.S. Golf Association.

H.A. retired in 1995 and moved to Florida with his wife Caroline, where they settled in Worthington Country Club in Bonita Springs. Twice he served on Worthington’s Master Board and for 21 years on the Finance Committee. H. organized and directed the Gotcha Golf Classic for 12 years. He loved playing tennis, golf, bocce ball, and over the years won poker and gin tournaments. H. was a great competitor who also loved dancing and traveling. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs. Dr. Walmsley was preceded in death by his parents, Hayden and Lucille Walmsley, his stepmother Dorothy Walmsley, two brothers, Delbert and Danny, and a sister, Shirley Kamp. He is survived by his loving wife Caroline; two daughters, Stacy (Bruce) Griffith of Sturgeon, Missouri, and Sheryl Roberts of Lee's Summit, Missouri; a stepson, Tim Dildine (Michal) of Lake Ozark, Missouri; a half-sister, Christine English of Woodstock, Georgia; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

H. was a loving and caring husband and father, known for being generous and lighthearted. He loved making people happy and enriching their lives and souls. A funeral service will take place on Saturday, September 27th, at 10 a.m. at the First Christian Church, 106 Lorena Avenue, Wood River, Illinois.

Visitation will begin at 10 a.m., and the service will immediately follow. A celebration of life will then be held at the Wood River Moose. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Roxana Schools Foundation, in the memo line please write Football Walmsley. Checks should be mailed to Roxana High School 401 Chaffer Ave Roxana IL 62084 Attn: Fonda Starbuck A celebration of life will be held in November at Worthington Country Club in Bonita Springs FL.