Story By DIANA DILLABER MURRAY
Of The Oakland Press

Close to 700 family members, students, friends, coworkers and former teammates packed Trinity Missionary Baptist Church Friday to honor Bill Glover.The Pontiac Central High School athletic director died at age 55 after having a heart attack and collapsing as he worked out on a treadmill at the high school about 2 p.m. Nov. 3.

Longtime friends Richard Seay, Mattie McKinney-Hatchett and Frank Russell took a turn at the pulpit to help celebrate the life of the man they referred to as “extraordinary” and an advocate for Pontiac city youth.Glover’s wife, Belinda, and children James Hill, Chiffon Hill, Malikah Glover-Carroll, Charles McDonald and William Glover sat in the front row as Pastor Drew Marshall talked about how their husband and father was like “a rock thrown in a pond,” spreading his positive influences to many like ripples widening in the water.

The team shirt bearing Glover’s No. 22 and the name of the former Pontiac Central champion basketball star was displayed in front of the church with the many bouquets of flowers. Glover is known as Central’s second-best player, behind NBA star Campy Russell. Glover, a member of Central’s Class of 1971, won an academic basketball scholarship to Michigan State University, where he played for four years, said ELouise Williams, who presented his life history. He earned a master’s degree from University of Phoenix.

Many teammates from both his high school and college teams, as well as members of a youth basketball camp he facilitated for 16 years, were at his funeral. People from as far away as Paris also made the trip.

After a 30-year career in sales, Glover returned to Pontiac 10 years ago “with the goal to give back and make a positive difference,” said Williams. He joined Trinity, where his former classmate Marshall was pastor at the same time.

Student Eric Patton, a senior at Central and a member of the wrestling and football teams, was among dozens of youths at Trinity Friday to honor Glover for the difference he made in their lives.“I had talked to him that day,” Patton said before services started. “He was one of my role models. I talked to him if I had trouble in class. He helped me keep my grades up.”Patton said everyone was in shock after Glover died.

Jasmine Jackson, 18, who graduated in Central’s Class of 2008, was also among the young people there to remember him. She wasn’t an athlete, but used to work in his office. “He was a very nice person. A lot of students are here,” to remember him, Jackson said.

Seay reminded the audience that “Bill said he never told any child to go away from his dream, but he always wanted to add an ‘and’ to the dream. He wanted to add a realistic career field.”

Hatchett said, “We shall never forget his commitment to excellence and his advocacy on the part of Pontiac youth. He was a catalyst and a driving force who worked diligently to return athletics to the outstanding greatness of the ’70s and ’80s.”

Russell said he met Glover when he was a college student and Glover was 15 or 16 when the Oakland County basketball league for youths was formed.The first day, there were 30 staff people and only 10 kids. So everyone was supposed to go out and recruit kids. The next day, “Glover walked into the gym with (lots of equipment) and at least 15 kids. By the end of the week, he brought at least 50 kids from the east side,” Russell said.

Russell said Glover was also “fearless, competitive, tough, ferocious and extremely competitive.” He remembered one time when the men were in their 20s and in Louisville, where they didn’t know anyone, and decided to stop at a community center to play a game of basketball.

Russell, who referred to Glover as his brother, also talked of his friendliness, his charm and his smile and said, “Bill would not approve of sad faces.”True to his word, Russell brought the audience to laughter and applause more than once with his stories. Then, he launched a surprise campaign to put Glover’s name in the Pontiac Central Hall of Fame.

Noting that Pontiac Central Principal Brian Yancey and several school board members were in the audience, Russell suddenly announced, “I hereby move ... that William James Glover be inducted into the Pontiac Central Hall of Fame and that the board approve it and a plaque be installed in the fieldhouse before Dec. 1.”

The audience began applauding before Russell finished his sentence and then people stood up, including Glover’s family, the clergy and the choir, to show their support for the proposal.

“All in favor say aye,” Russell said, after the applause died and the audience sat down again. And a loud chorus of “Aye!” was heard from throughout the church.

Glover’s son, James, was the only family member to speak. He thanked the speakers and everyone who came to honor his father.

“And thanks to my dad for everything he put in my life ...” and the lives of all his brothers and sisters.

“He loved everyone,” James said. “That’s why so many people are here. Whether you were Asian players on the soccer team or on the basketball team, he treated you all the same.”

Glover also is survived by nine grandchildren; and brothers and sisters Danny Glover, PeCola Douglas, Henry Glover, Ruby Glover, Betty Hannah, Larry Glover, Bertha Glover and the late Leroy Glover. Family members filled several rows in the church.

Contact staff writer Diana Dillaber Murray at (248) 745-4638 or diana.dillaber@oakpress.com.

“We shall never forget his commitment to excellence and his advocacy on the part of Pontiac youth. He was a catalyst and a driving force who worked diligently to return athletics to the outstanding greatness of the ’70s and ’80s.”

 Return to blitzkriegpublishing.com home page