Verl L. (Buddy) Capps, Jr. lived a purpose-driven life inspiring those around him to be better. Born January 5, 1955, in Charlotte, North Carolina, he was the first-born of the late Verl, Sr. and Helen Capps and the eldest brother of three sisters. He married his wife, Mary, on St. Patrick’s Day, 1990. They had three children, Ryan, Jessica, and Erin. Buddy loved to coach, to read, to act in theatre, to cook, and to sing in a variety of groups including church choirs and community choruses. He was drawn to mentor and impacted the lives of all those he coached.
Buddy was a 1973 graduate of Duncanville (TX) High School where he participated in football, basketball, musical groups, theatre, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). He continued his involvement in these activities during college at Oklahoma Christian College, where he was a two-time letterman in basketball and sang and played the bass guitar in a band called Copperfield. He transferred to Dallas Baptist College finishing his collegiate basketball career as one time letterman in basketball and received his BS degree in biology and physical education in 1978.
Upon graduating from college, he taught biology and coached in Duncanville (TX), Grand Prairie (TX), Madill (OK), Plainview (OK), Guymon (OK), Marietta (OK), and retired at Plainview in 2016 to conclude his 40+ year career in education. During his tenure at Madill HS, he created the Golden Shoe Award to commemorate the rivalry between Madill and Kingston. In Marietta, he started the cross-country program and in Guymon and Marietta, established a Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Many of his basketball, golf, and cross-country teams found success and made the play-offs, two golf teams won state championships while three other teams were state runners-up. He was a 5-time coach of the year in the various conferences his teams participated. In 2003, Buddy was named Oklahoma’s FCA All- State Coach.
Though a man of few words, when Buddy chose to speak, his words were purposeful and intentional. Buddy lived a life of service to his God, his family, and his students. Through his family and students, a legacy of faith, hope, and love will live on. He is survived by his wife Mary, son Ryan, daughters Jessica (Chad), and Erin; sisters Kimberly Alexander, Christie Siar (Mike), and Cheryl Hawkins (John); grandsons Sam, Mac, and Jack; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Coach Buddy Capps Scholarship fund or to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in his name. A Scholarship is being established in the memory of Coach Capps. Tax-deductible contributions may be made to Community Activities, Inc. of Ardmore, PO Box 2597, Ardmore, OK 73402. Checks should state “Coach Buddy Capps Scholarship” in the memo. For more information, you may contact Mary Kate Wilson (580-223-3883). To donate to Fellowship of Christian Athletes, visit https://www.fca.org/donate.
