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Cleveland Gi lcrease was born Nov. 19, 1934 in Columbus, Texas and passed away on Feb. 11, 2023, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was 88 years old. He was the youngest child of Herbert R. Gilcrease and Alene A. Gilcrease. Cleveland grew up with one sister (Dorothy) and two brothers (Herbert Jack and Sammie). Cleveland’s parents and siblings have preceded him in death.
Cleveland married Agnes N. Gilcrease on June 6, 1958. Between the two, they raised four children: Beverly Gilcrease – Gant (Joel), Nichelle Gilcrease, C. Durrel l Gilcrease, and Craig R. Gilcrease. Cleveland also has an older daughter, Clarice V. Weatherspoon (Travis). He leaves to cherish in memory his wife of 64 years (Agnes); his children (Beverly, Nichelle, Durrell and Craig) and grandchildren: Ryan D. Gant, Morgan A. Gant, Nathaniel B. Gant, Cheyanne Gilcrease, Cleveland Gilcrease – Wolfe, Savannah Gilcrease-Wolfe, Travis, Gi lcrease, and China Gi lcrease; his great-grandchildren: Leilani Malia Sandoval, Maliah R. Johnson, Marley G. Johnson, and Adonis T. Gilcrease, and a host of nieces, nephews, friends, former colleagues, former students and tennis players.
After working within government for many years, Cleveland returned to his passion: the classroom. From 1985 to 2002, Cleveland was employed with CCISD as a Science teacher at Wynn Seale Middle School/Academy of Fine Arts. During that time, he coached tennis at Wynn Seale, Baker Middle School, St. James Episcopal School and at Al Kruse Tennis Center. Coach Gilcrease received numerous awards and honors for his work with students in the classroom and players on the tennis courts. Along with many tennis championships, Cleveland was nominated in 1991 for CCISD Teacher of the Year and in 1991 was awarded the Corpus Christi Tennis Association’s Coach of the Year. In 1993, he was the recipient of the United States Tennis Association-Texas Lloyd Sessions Educational Merit Award for excellence in using tennis as a vehicle for education for youth. In 1995, Mr. Gi lcrease received the Wynn Seale Academy of Fine Arts Teacher of the Year Award and in 1998, he received the NAACP Martin Luther King Jr. Living the Dream - Vision of our Youth Award. May 7, 2011 was recognized as Cleveland Gilcrease Day in Corpus Christi, Texas for his outstanding mentorship of youth. Also in 2011, the Tennis Success Cleveland Gilcrease Scholarship was established to award college scholarships to youth tennis players who displayed outstanding community volunteerism. To date, $176,000 have been awarded in college scholarships to deserving students.
Through coaching, he was always teaching. He used tennis as a vehicle to motivate his students to excel in the classroom and in life. Through humor, hard work, focus, and a positive attitude, nothing is impossible.
Internment is at Willing Worker Cemetery in Columbus, Texas.
Memor ial contr ibutions may be made to the Cleveland Gilcrease Youth Tennis Scholarship by visiting mytennissuccess. com or contributions may be mailed to Tennis Success, Inc. P.O. Box 71647, Corpus Christi, Texas, 78467.
