Jim Padgett
Jim Padgett, longtime educator and basketball coach, died on December 19 of congestive heart failure. He was 79 years old. Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1930, he was a star athlete at Shasta High School in Redding, California from 1944-48, and played basketball for Oregon State from 1948-1952. After two years of military service he started teaching and coaching basketball in San Jose, California, and in 1960 coached San Jose City College to the California junior college state championship. From 1968-1972 he was the men's basketball coach at the University of California, Berkeley, and later moved to the University of Nevada, Reno where in the 1970s he elevated the basketball program to a new level of competitiveness in Division I. After retiring from coaching, he served as principal of a new high school program run by the Nevada State Prison in Carson City, Nevada, and built one of the most successful and innovative prison education programs in the country. Upon retirement in 1996 he and wife Nancy moved to Rocklin, California, where he taught as an adjunct instructor at Sierra College until 2009. In addition to generations of students and players, Jim Padgett leaves behind his wife of 58 years, Nancy Padgett, sons Pete (Debbie) Padgett, Jim J. Padgett, Chris (Jenny) Padgett, and eight grandchildren: Melissa, Chris, David, Lisa, Anna, and Adam, Aaron, and Jena Hatch.The Padgett family requests that in lieu of flowers, well-wishers make contributions to the Shriners Hospital For Children - Northern California.A memorial service for Jim Padgett open to the public will be held in Reno at a time and date to be announced.
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