Donald Dale "Don" Jimerson

Donald Dale Jimerson was born March 15, 1935 in Guide Rock, Nebraska to Dale and Pauline Jimerson. He grew up in El Reno, Oklahoma, where he attended El Reno High School. Upon graduation he attended Central State University and Cameron University, where he was a standout wide receiver on the football teams at both schools. He was later inducted into the Central State University Athletic Hall of Fame and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award. While in college, Don married his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Patty Choice. They then spent the next 63 years together and raised four sons: Jeff, Jay, Jody, and Jere.

After college Don became an assistant football coach at Lawton High School, eventually becoming the head coach where he coached great athletes like Eddie Hinton, Rick Baldridge, and Danny Hardaway. After a very successful high school coaching career, Don was hired as the head freshman football coach at the University of Oklahoma in 1966. While he coached the freshmen, his teams continued to be tremendously successful. He later coached tight ends and receivers before retiring as a football coach in 1977 to become an assistant athletic director. He was also the Executive Director of the “O” Club at OU for many years. Coach Jimerson was an instrumental part of the early growth of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was the sponsor of the FCA Chapter at OU during his entire career at OU. While directing the FCA Chapter at OU, Coach Jimerson had a significant influence on the lives of countless athletes and coaches at OU.

Coach Jimerson had a deep love for the Lord and always held strong religious convictions. He demonstrated this every day in the way that he conducted his life and treated others. He was a Deacon at First Baptist Church, Norman, where he loved teaching a Sunday School class for over 30 years. While at OU, Coach Jimerson was the guest speaker at numerous all-sports banquets, worship services, and other events throughout the State of Oklahoma. He loved motivating others and sharing the Gospel.

Coach Jimerson also loved hunting and fishing, but even more so he enjoyed spending countless hours working with his sons and teaching them skills in football, baseball, and track. He also loved spending time with his grandkids, so much so that while in retirement he volunteered to help coach his grandson’s football team in middle school when they were short on coaches. Needless to say, the team had a very successful season.

Coach Jimerson is survived by: his wife, Patty; four sons; Jeff, Jay and wife Sue, Jody and wife Susan, and Jere; five grandsons: Andrew, Chris, Bradley, Austin, and Samuel; six granddaughters: Karah, Carey-Jayne, Julianne, Caroline, Ally, and Abigail; one brother: Dr. Steven Jimerson and wife Sandy; one sister: Rosemary Klepper and husband, Ron; sister-in-law Judy; and eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, brother Dr. Gordon Jimerson, grandson Matthew Jimerson, and daughter-in-law Melanie Jimerson.