In Memory

Oscar Stafford Cripps VIEW PROFILE

Oscar Stafford Cripps

June 17, 1942 – September 12, 2020

(1972 Yearbook photo) 

photo

 

Oscar Cripps was born on June 17, 1942 in Galveston, Texas. He passed away on September 12, 2020 at the age of 78. He is survived by his wife Janette Cripps of 55 years along with his sons Craig and Keith, daughter-in-laws Shelby and Tawna, grandchildren Cody, Chloe, and Cy, great grandson Davis, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Charles Lester Cripps and Bessie Cecile Cripps, and sister Trudy Fleetwood.

Oscar grew up playing sports. He was on the Galveston Little League team that played in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania as a left handed catcher. Oscar graduated from Galveston Ball in 1959 where he played football and baseball. He then went to Paris Junior College and then to Stephen F. Austin University (SFA). He played guard on offense and linebacker on defense at 5’9” and 160lbs.

He met the woman who would become his wife, Janette, at SFA in a square dancing class. In 1967, Coach Cripps began his coaching career at Hemphill High School as the head coach. He then came to Spring Branch ISD as an assistant coach at Westchester High School from 1968-1973. Stratford High School opened in 1973 where he became the first campus athletic director and head coach there until 2000. He also coached at Houston Christian High School, Northbrook High School, and Elsik High School.

More than 100 kids from Stratford went on to play college football, at least six of whom continued to play in the NFL. Two of those appeared in Super Bowls. The Stratford Spartans won the 1978 Class 4A State Championship with a perfect 15-0 record. During that season, the Spartans defeated the 1975, 1976, and 1977 Texas 4A champions. The Spartans played for the 1987 State Championship, 1988 state semifinals, and the 1980 quarterfinals. They won seven district championships. Coach Cripps was twice named the Greater Houston Coach of the Year by the Houston Post and Houston Chronicle. He was named the Texas Coach of the Year by the Texas Sportswriter’s Association. He coached the South Team in the Texas High School All-Star game in 1980 in which they won 7-6. Coach Cripps was inducted into the Stephen F. Austin University Hall of Honor, named the Spring Branch-Memorial Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 1978, selected as the Spring Branch ISD ‘Man of the Year’ by the Rotary Club in 1987, inducted into the Greater Houston Coaches Hall of Honor in 1998, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Ring of Honor in 2004, inducted into the AdvoCare Texas Bowl Hall of Honor in 2016, and the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor.

Coach Cripps was a Deacon at Houston’s First Baptist. Coach Cripps left a lasting impression on everyone he knew. He was always about putting others before himself. It was never about him. Any success he ever had, he would tell you it was because of the players and assistant coaches. He put his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and there is no doubt where he is today. His purpose in life was for everyone to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation to: https://graphite.sfasu.edu/giving/development/cripps-scholarship


Coach Oscar Cripps

๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’› ๐Ÿˆ ๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿงก

Visitation-

Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020    5:00-7:00PM    First Baptist Church in Houston

Funeral-

Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020  11:30AM     First Baptist Church in Houston


 

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/obituary.aspx?n=oscar-cripps&pid=196797632&fhid=5641





Click here to see Oscar Stafford's last Profile entry.




agape