William “Bill” Burrows, 79, went to be with the Lord on Monday, July 15, 2024, in Spartanburg, SC.
A native of Western North Carolina, he was a 1969 graduate of Mars Hill College with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and received a master’s degree in School Administration from Western Carolina in 1992.
Burrows was in the Class of 1963 at Erwin High School where he was an Athlete, Coach, Athletic Director and Assistant Principal. He participated in football, basketball, baseball, and track at Erwin High School; was a successful basketball, baseball and football coach at West Buncombe ES, Erwin HS, T.C. Roberson HS, Owen HS, and Madison HS. He coached NCHSAA3A State Runner-Up Men’s basketball team at Owen HS in 1982, served as collegiate basketball assistant coach at Georgia Tech, Towson State, USC Upstate, and Spartanburg Methodist College, served as Athletic Director at Owen HS, Erwin HS, and Madison HS. He was a respected basketball camp director, lecturer, and speaker for over 50 years in the United States and abroad.
In addition to his coaching experience on the high school and collegiate level, Burrows has a wealth of experience running basketball camps. He owned and operated The Basketball Camp in Grayson, KY for 16 years, has been the camp director for several summer youth camps, was the camp director for high school team camps and university camps for 24 years, and directed basketball camps in France and Luxembourg.
Coach Burrows is a veteran of the bench with over 30 years as a head coach on the high school level in North Carolina and as assistant on the NCAA Division I level at Georgia Tech and Towson State University.
He got his head coaching start at T.C. Roberson High School before moving on to coach former NBA and University of North Carolina great, Brad Daugherty and NFL quarterback, Brad Johnson at Charles D. Owen High School in Black Mountain. He also had head coaching stints at Clyde A. Erwin High School and Madison High School. He was inducted into the Owen High School Hall of Fame in 2005.
Coach was an assistant coach on the collegiate level at Georgia Tech from 1983-84 and Towson State from 1987-88. While at Georgia Tech, he helped coach the Yellow Jackets to an 18-11 record and an NIT bid with Ramblin’ Wreck greats, Mark Price and John Salley. At Towson State, he assisted in coaching the team to a second-place finish in the East Coast Conference.
He was the son of the late Margaret and William Burrows and was also preceded in death by his siblings: Eleanor Bowlin, Naomi Dietz, and Bertha Walthers; father and mother-in-law: Rev. R.A. and Stella White, and brother-in-law, TWayne Poole.
Surviving are his wife, Kathy White Burrows, whom he married on September 1, 2007; son, Brooks Burrows; daughter, Angela Holland; stepson, Jonathan Brigman; grandson, Calvin Burrows; granddaughter, Willow Holland who was his ray of sunshine; sisters-in-law, Terry Newton (Andy) and Joan Poole; brothers-in-law, David White (Lynn) and Paul White. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held at 3 PM on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 200 Mt. Carmel Road in Asheville, with Rev. Dr. Ronnie Owen officiating. There will also be players/coaches who will have stories to tell.
The family will receive friends from 1 till 3 PM Saturday prior to services at the church.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to: Operation Christmas Child, c/o Tapestry Church, 20 Woods Lake Road #100, Greenville, SC 29607 or you can give online at tapestrysc.com. Bill and Kathy and Kathy’s family are privileged to be a part of this wonderful organization.
Anders-Rice Funeral Home and Cremation Center is honored to serve the Burrows family.