BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- One of the most beloved and respected people in the history of Western Washington University athletics, former men's basketball coach Chuck Randall, passed away Wednesday, March 9, at the age of 89 from congestive heart failure.

Randall, who coached the Vikings for 18 seasons from 1963 to 1981 and posted a record of 275-186, was named the WWU men's Coach of the Century for 1900 to 1999. He received hall of fame honors from Central Valley High School, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Western and Eastern Washington University.

On May 6, 2015, Randall received the Basketball Old Timers Man of the Year Award at the 63rd annual Basketball Old-Timers Banquet.

Randall's best Western team was the 1971-72 squad that finished 26-4 and reached the NAIA national quarterfinals, winning conference and NAIA District 1 titles. The Vikings won their first 21 games, and took a memorable two-out-of-three district championship series over Eastern Washington, then won twice at nationals in Kansas City, Missouri, before falling. He was named NAIA Area I Coach of the Year that season.

"He impacted lives, and that was a lot more important to him than winning games," said Mike Dahl, who played for Randall in the mid-60s. "He really, really cared about his players. Every one of his players was important to him."

Off the court, Randall began the first summer basketball camp for children in the state of Washington during the 1960s and was an important innovator in the development of breakaway rims.

After retiring from WWU, for the next eight years Randall took college students to play basketball and study in Mexico. He also served as a volunteer assistant for the WWU women's basketball team for a couple of seasons and attended nearly every practice for both the Viking men's and women's hoop squads for many years, only in the last few seasons cutting back to just the home games for those two teams.

"UCLA had its John Wooden, Western had its Chuck Randall," said WWU Athletics Historian Paul Madison. "He was a great coach and an even better person. He had a knack for making people feel better about themselves and bringing people together."

Born in Farmington, Wash., on Dec, 15, 1926, Randall was raised in Veradale, located just east of Spokane. He was a three-year letter winner in football, basketball and baseball at Central Valley High School.

After serving in the army as a paratrooper during World War II, Randall received his bachelor of arts degree in 1949 at Eastern Washington University, where he played baseball, and obtained his master's degree at Washington State University in 1954.

After teaching and coaching four years at Opportunity Grade School, Randall moved up to the high school ranks where he coached at Riverside, Republic, Lindbergh, Freeman and Lind High Schools, all located in eastern Washington.

During that time, Randall founded the Conifer Basketball Summer Camp at Snoqualmie Pass. Later, a second camp was started at Snow Valley, Calif.

During the summer of 1961, while working at his camp in southern California, Randall was hired to coach at El Segundo High School in Los Angeles, one of the state's largest schools. In his only season there, Randall directed the Eagles, who were picked to finish last, to their first league title since 1936 and was named Coach of the Year.

Randall came to Western the next season. Four times he was named Evergreen Conference Coach of the Year and earned similar recognition from NAIA District 1 on three occasions.

Randall was known as the "Coaches' Coach" for the high percentage of his players who went on coach and teach at every level -- elementary, junior high, high school and college.

In the summer of 1968, Randall took his WWU team on a tour of Asia and Australia under the auspices of People-to-People Program International, the Vikings winning 15 of 21 games.

On Feb. 12, 1975, Randall suffered a severe heart attack. He underwent open-heart surgery that summer and took a one-year leave of absence. He had another major heart attack on Jan. 23, 2013.

Randall also coached baseball at WWU, directing the Vikings to two national tournament appearances, placing fifth in 1964 and eighth in 1965.

In all, Randall coached basketball 35 years, amassing 516 victories.

Randall is survived by his wife of 68 years Doris (Reihl), three children, daughter Jennifer and sons Jeff and John; and granddaughter Novella.

A Celebration of Randall's life will be held at Garden St. United Methodist Church in Bellingham at 1 PM on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Reception following. Pastor Terry Hall will be officiating.

Gifts in memory of Chuck can be made to the Chuck Randall Men's Basketball Scholarship at WWU. Donations can be made online at www.wwu.edu/give or by sending a check made payable to the WWU Foundation and mailed to: WWU Foundation, 516 High Street, MS 9034, Bellingham, WA 98225 (please indicate online or on the memo line of your check that your gift is for the Chuck Randall Scholarship), or to Garden St. United Methodist Church. You may share your memories of Charles at www.westfordfuneralhome.com. .

-- WWU --

Charles R. Randall

12/15/1926 - 3/9/2016

Coach Chuck Randall, age 89, passed away peacefully at home in Bellingham on Wednesday, March 9, 2016. He was born to Charles R. and Novella (Person) Randall in Farmington, WA on December 15, 1926. When he was eight years old his mother Novella passed away. Later his father married Katherine Parker, who was Chuck's loving mother until she passed away at age 98. Coach served in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper during WWII. He married Doris Reihl in 1948 and they had three children, Jennifer, Jeff and John. He graduated from Central Valley High School, earned a B.A. at Eastern Washington, and a M.A. at Washington State. Coach was proud to have founded the Conifer Basketball Camp on Snoqualmie Pass, the first sports camp west of the Mississippi. He taught physical education and coached basketball and baseball at Western Washington University for over 26 years. For eight years Coach and Doris traveled to Mexico with the WWU Foreign Studies Program where he coached basketball and baseball players. After retiring he enjoyed volunteering with the WWU women's basketball team, golfing and making art. Coach was an active member of Garden St. United Methodist Church and the Fairhaven Lions Club. He "walked the walk" with his Lord, made others feel loved, and was passionate about his family, his players and all of his friends. Coach is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Doris, son Jeff (wife Hideko), daughter Jennifer, son John, granddaughter Novella and many loving relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his sisters Jean, Ruth and Joy. A Celebration of Coach's life will be held at Garden St. United Methodist Church in Bellingham at 1 PM on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Reception following. Pastor Terry Hall will be officiating. Gifts in memory of Chuck can be made to the Chuck Randall Men's Basketball Scholarship at WWU. Donations can be made online at www.wwu.edu/give or by sending a check made payable to the WWU Foundation and mailed to: WWU Foundation, 516 High Street, MS 9034, Bellingham, WA 98225 (please indicate online or on the memo line of your check that your gift is for the Chuck Randall Scholarship), or to Garden St. United Methodist Church. You may share your memories of Charles at www.westfordfuneralhome.com.