Robert Andrew "Racer" Holstead Sr.- Submitted for the USGenWeb by Richard P. Sevier 3/6/2008

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Robert Andrew "Racer" Holstead Sr. - Madison Parish, Louisiana 

From Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate March 6, 2008

Funeral services for Robert Andrew "Racer" Holstead Sr., 81, is on Saturday, March 8, at 3 p.m. 
at Tallulah Academy, Tallulah, with visitation at the school on Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Known as Coach to generations of players and students, Racer Holstead was born on Jan. 29, 1927, 
in Ruston and died Tuesday, March 4, 2008, at the Madison Parish Hospital. He was given the nickname 
of "Racer" at Hillcrest Grammar School when he outran all the children chasing the merry-go-round 
at recess. Coach Holstead graduated from Ruston High School, where he was an outstanding athlete 
and quarterback under his mentor, Coach Hoss Garrett. 

After service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he attended Louisiana Tech University on a 
scholarship and he lettered in baseball and football and received his baccalaureate degree in 
education. After several summer sessions in the Big Eight semi-pro baseball league, where he 
played for the Ruston Rebels and received the highest batting average award, he began his long, 
illustrious coaching career in Plaquemine in 1949. He served as assistant football coach and 
head coach for baseball and basketball for four years. He won the first basketball state 
championship at Plaquemine High School in 1952. In addition, while at Plaquemine, he won his bride 
of 57 years, the former Lillie "SeSe" Jumonville. In 1953, he moved to Jena, where he coached for 
two years and earned a state runner-up title in basketball. In 1955, he moved to Tallulah for 
his first head football coaching job, claiming four state football championships in the years 
between 1958-1962. During his 14 years at Tallulah High School, his teams also won six district 
titles. 

In 1970, he moved to Tallulah Academy, where for the next three decades he was headmaster, head 
football coach and athletic director. With his longtime assistant coach I.T. Crothers, he won 
four state championships as well as five state runner-up and 13 district titles in football. 
He also won two state championships in golf. 

During his 48 years of coaching, 42 as head football coach, he achieved an impressive career record. 
With his 287th career victory, he moved into the top spot as the winningest high school coach in 
Louisiana. His cumulative coaching record of 309-146-8 ranks him 66th nationally among high school 
coaches. Other numerous honors that have established him as a coaching legend include his 1991 
induction into the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, his 1995 induction 
into the Louisiana Tech University Athletic Hall of Fame, and his 2002 induction into the All-American 
Football Foundation. He was a past president of the LHSAA, one of the key organizers and the first 
athletic commissioner of the Louisiana Independent School Athletic Association and was presented a 
special commendation of merit from both houses of the Louisiana Legislature. Above all, Coach 
Holstead valued the many awards from his fellow coaches who remained his staunchest friends and 
supporters, respecting his integrity as a competitor and his nobility of character. Coach Holstead 
was also named national Scholastic Coach of the Year and will long be remembered for his dedication 
to academics, which taught his players and students to be winners in life. 

He is survived by his wife, SeSe; four daughters, Alexis Holstead Thompson and her husband, Bud, 
Heidi Holstead Mayeaux, Chere Holstead Bourgeois and her husband, Al, and Lillie Holstead; a son, 
Robert A. Holstead Jr.; six grandchildren, Buster and Brad Bourgeois, Danielle Clapinski and husband 
Greg, Chad and Megan Mahaffey and Hilary Thompson; and a great-grandson, Andrew Clapinski. He is also 
survived by his sister, Mary Beth Carr and husband Bob; and four nieces. He was preceded in death by 
his parents, Clarence Otis and Jimmie Howard Holstead; and brother, Clarence. 

His pallbearers, senior players from each of his eight state championship football teams, will be Dick 
Brown, Billy Foster, Wayne Noland, Leonard "Pops" Neumann, Paul Machen, Randy Collins, Jimbo Paxton 
and Darryl Ellerbee. Honorary pallbearers are his Louisiana Tech teammates fondly known as the "NAAGQ."