CoSIDA Hall of Famer Bill Cable (Truman State), 81, Passes Away

CoSIDA Hall of Famer Bill Cable (Truman State), 81, Passes Away

Release and photos courtesy of Truman State University Athletics

Statement from CoSIDA
“In the weeks since our 2015 convention, we have lost four of our members – three legends in the business and one taken too soon. Bob Peterson (University of Minnesota), Bill Cable (Truman State) and Wallace Dooley (Tennessee State, Alabama A&M, SWAC, among others) were some of the founding fathers of the business and great mentors to many of us over the years. Mike Hanson (University of Montana, Alma College) was one of our recent up-and-comers in the profession and was making his own great impression among the ranks. Please keep their families in your thoughts and prayers.”
- President Judy Willson, Mountain West Conference Associate Director, Communications


KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – William "Bill" Cable passed away on Tuesday, July 28 at the age of 81. Mr. Cable was the first full-time Sports Information Director at Truman State University and served the university for 40 years until his retirement in 1995.

A visitation is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on Friday, August 1 at the Travis-Noe Funeral Home in Kirksville and a memorial service set for 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 2 at the First United Methodist Church, also in Kirksville. (Funeral Home Website/Online Guest Book)

The son of William Alfred and Hila Hall Cable, Mr. Cable was born on February 28, 1934, in Hannibal, Missouri.  Following graduation from the Hannibal High School with the class of 1952, Bill attended Truman for two years, where he was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. He then transferred to the University of Missouri – Columbia School of Journalism and graduated in 1956. 

On August 7, 1960, Mr. Cable was united in marriage to Dianthe Truitt at the First United Methodist Church in Kirksville.

After graduation, Mr. Cable immediately started working for Truman, a professional relationship that lasted almost 40 years and was interrupted only by a two-year tour of duty in Korea, where he edited an award-winning company newspaper.

From 1958 until 1972, Mr. Cable's time was divided between directing the publication office and creating the first sports information office.  In 1972, he was named the University's first Sports Information Director, a position he held until his retirement.  

Mr. Cable served on various committees of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), including the Academic All-American Committee for student-athletes, and served as a board member for three years. Numerous publications of his received CoSIDA awards and he was inducted into the CoSIDA National Hall of Fame in 1988.
 
Other professional honors and awards include: CoSIDA Warren Berg Award; the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Hall of Fame; Truman Athletics Hall of Fame; and Outstanding Division II Sports Information Director, a designation of which he was most proud.
 
Mr. Cable was actively involved in serving his community, including: president of the Kirksville Jaycees and a director for the national organization; president, Kirksville Kiwanis, lieutenant governor, Missouri-Arkansas District Kiwanis; board member for over 30 years and past board chair of the Community Opportunities-Sheltered Workshop; Adair County United Way board member and 2002 drive co-chair; board member, Adair County Chapter-American Red Cross; member, Kirksville Regional Economic Development, Inc.; member, First United Methodist Church; former coach and Hall of Fame member, Kirksville Baseball/Softball Association; and AT Still University Still Spirit Award recipient. 
 
Mr. Cable was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and he will be dearly missed by his family and friends.  He was known for his strong work ethic, high sense of responsibility, commitment to his community and church, and his sense of humor.  He loved pets, particular the many cats and dogs that he and Dianthe cared for over many years. He enjoyed traveling, running, reading, and watching any St. Louis Cardinals baseball game or Truman athletic event.
 
Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Dianthe; daughter, Krista Llewellyn and husband, Lance of Kirksville; daughter Sara Cable of Chicago, IL; grandchildren Gabriella Knorr and Christopher Llewellyn; and several cousins.
 
Memories of Bill Cable (PDF) - A collection of newspaper articles and stories about Mr. Cable.

Kevin White, Truman State Director of Athletic Communications Editor's Note:
Mr. Cable was a remarkable individual. He cared deeply about Truman Athletics and all the coaches, student-athletes and the student employees that worked in his office. He is responsible for several students that joined the ranks of college sports information professionally. 

Mr. Cable is well respected throughout college sports information not only from other colleagues but from members of the media that relied on his office to get the latest information about the Bulldogs.  

I am privileged to have met and worked for Mr. Cable and more importantly to have been able to call him a mentor and friend since coming to Kirksville as an 18-year old in 1992.  I join many alums and former student-workers in condolences to Dianthe and the rest of the Cable family. – KW