David Franklin Gorrie, 84, of Bedford, TX passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on Saturday afternoon, May 16, 2015. Born to Franklin and Virginia (Woolley) Gorrie on October 15, 1930 in Olney, Texas, Dave was a retired college baseball coach.

He grew up in Pasadena, California attending Pasadena City College and Santa Barbara College (now UCSB) before joining the US Navy in 1953. During his time there, he played football for the Amphibious Forces (Phibpac). Dave completed his college education in 1958, attaining a Masters of Science degree in education at the University of Southern California.

Dave began a professional baseball career in 1953 when he signed with the New York Giants and was briefly assigned to the Phoenix, Arizona farm team prior to joining the Navy. He resumed his pro baseball career in 1956, signing with the Kansas City Athletics organization. He played in Seminole, OK; Crowley, LA; Columbia, SC; Rochester, MN and finally with Winona, MN before moving into the coaching ranks.

It was 1958 when Dave met and married the love of his life, Linda. The following year, he began his coaching career as an assistant football coach at UC Santa Barbara. In 1960, he became the Head Baseball Coach at UC Santa Barbara, leading teams there for 18 years, compiling a record 343-370-1. In 1979, he was hired as Head Coach of the Pepperdine Waves baseball team, taking them to the College World Series that very year. He retired from coaching at Pepperdine in 1988 with a record of 409-202-11. Dave continued as a volunteer coach and private hitting instructor until 2009. Coach Gorrie is inducted into three Halls of Fame including UC Santa Barbara, Pepperdine University and the American Baseball Coaches Association. He was a member of Airport Freeway Church of Christ in Euless, TX.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Linda Gorrie of Bedford; a son, Bryan Gorrie and his wife, April of Ventura, CA; a daughter, LuAnne Miller and her husband, Keith of Bedford, TX; two brothers, Dick Gorrie of Anaheim, CA and Doug Gorrie of Santa Ana, CA; grandsons, Cody Helstrom and Zach Helstrom.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, 2015 at the Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home Chapel in Carthage, TX. Graveside service will follow at the Restland Memorial Park, also in Carthage.

Serving as pallbearers are grandsons, Cody and Zach Helstrom, nephews, Ray and Ron Gorrie and DeWayne Decker, and friend, Calvin Turner.

The family is establishing the Dave Gorrie Memorial Baseball Scholarship at Panola College in Carthage and invites those who are willing to contribute to send their contributions to Panola College, c/o Don Clinton, 1109 W. Panola St., Carthage, TX 75633.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.