Red Devil Roundup: LCC mourns passing of HoF trio
NWAC Updates – Earnest, Laufman, and Price were pillars of Lower Columbia community; plus the latest on Red Devils soccer & volleyball
By Rick McCorkle for Blast Zone Media / blastzonenews@gmail.com
Lower Columbia College Athletics / Roundup
LCC Hall of Fame
‘The Czar’ of Red Devils women’s sports, Earnest dies
The architect of women’s athletics at Lower Columbia College, Gary Earnest was a name synonymous with athletic success in the Pacific Northwest.
Earnest, the longtime LCC Athletic Director and men’s basketball coach who was lovingly known around the college athletic programs as “The Czar,” passed away Oct. 18. He was 89.
Earnest grew up in Longview and attended R.A. Long High School, where he excelled in athletics. After graduation, he attended Brigham Young University, where he played basketball and was named a third-team All-American.
After graduation, he entered the coaching ranks as the mentor for the BYU freshman team. After a foray which included two high school coaching assignments in California, he returned to Longview in 1972 to coach men’s basketball at LCC.
His flamboyant coaching style made him a fan favorite. He compiled a 204-89 record and won five NWAC West Region titles, and reached the conference championship game in 1974 and 1991.
Earnest also served as Athletic Director at LCC from 1978 to 1997, and served as an NWAC Commissioner for 20 years, earning induction into the NWAC Hall of Fame in 1997. He was also inducted into the LCC Red Devil Hall of Fame in 2013.
Earnest was instrumental in establishing women’s athletics at LCC. Between the men’s and women’s programs, they won seven baseball championships, one softball title, a volleyball championship and three women’s golf championships under Earnest’s watch.
In addition, he also found the time to play fastpitch softball for several decades as the longtime pitcher for the Boondox Tavern team.
Earnest is survived by his wife Ruth, sons Ed and Steve, and daughters Amy, Angie, and Erin.
Rocket scientist Laufman passes away
Paul Laufman, for whom the Laufman Lecture Hall on the LCC campus is named for, passed away Sept. 29. He was 86.
Laufman was born Nov. 26, 1938 in Mitchell, S.D. to Georger and Marie (Freese) Laufman, and moved with his parents and brother, John, to Longview in 1947.
He enjoyed playing sports at R.A. Long High School and at LCC.
After graduation from LCC, Laufman attended Washington State University, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1961. He later earned a Master’s of Science Degree in Systems Management Programming at the University of Southern California, and entered a career in Rocket Propulsion with major aerospace enterprises, including Hercules, Lockheed, and Aerojet-General Corporations.
As an engineer, Laufman designed and managed the development of many components used in our nation’s strategic and tactical rocket systems, including subsystems of the Minuteman, Poseidon, and MX/Peacekeeper ICBMs, and in space exploration systems, including Apollo and Space Shuttle. He authored numerous paten disclosures on various defense and space related projects.
In 1995, Laufman co-founded United Paradyne Corporation (UPC) of Santa Maria, Calif., and served as its Chairman/CEO, directing its growth from a fledgling small business to its status as the contractor responsible for fueling all Spacelift missions containing government assets (including the Space Shuttle), at Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center in FL, at Vandenberg AFB, CA, Kodiak Island, AK, Wallops Island, VA and at various other remote sites, including two locations in Russia. UPC also conducted flightline fueling and supply missions at various military bases worldwide.
Laufman was inducted into the RAL Hall of Fame, and was selected as the 2013-14 Lower Columbia College Alumni of the Year. He also received the SW Washington All-Century Sports Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Washington State University 2010 Mechanical Engineering Hall of Fame recipient.
He was predeceased by his parents; his wife of 55 years, Marlene; and his brother, John.
Laufman is survived by two daughters, Lori Kasler (Jeff) of Grants Pass, Ore. and Lisa Petersen of Greenwood, Calif.; a son, George (Christy) of Kirkland, Wash.: six grandchildren, Jackie Gillick, Katie Cooper, Jordan and Connor Kasler, Oliver Laufman and Kasey Petersen; three great-granddaughters, Petra, Josephine, Sophia and five great-grandsons, Vincent, Julian, Eugene and Maurice Gillick all of Kent, England, and Coen and Reid Kasler of Grants Pass, Ore.; numerous nieces and nephews and the treasured companion of his final years, Donna Pierce of Longview.
Coach, teacher, referee, Price dies at 92
Lower Columbia College and R.A. Long High Athletic Hall of Fame member Brian Price passed away Oct. 18 in University Place, Wash. He was 92.
Price was born to Floyd and Christina Price in Longview, where he grew up and played football and baseball before graduating from RAL. He later enrolled at LCC where he also competed in athletics, and continued his education at Pacific Lutheran University and the University of Oregon, where he earned a Master’s in School Administration.
His teaching career began at Parkrose High in Portland before returning to Longview where he took a teaching assignment at Monticello Junior High. His teaching career included instructing students in physical education, health, math and history.
Beyond teaching, Price played softball for many years locally, and served as a football and basketball referee for more than a half-century. He also served as an official starter at local prep track meets. Price also volunteered with the Special Olympics participating in many events throughout Cowlitz County.
Price is survived by his wife of 70 years and high school sweetheart, Jane; his son Greg (Wendy); daughter Leslie (Bob); grandchildren, Elizabeth, Tara (Ryan), Brian (Amy), Scott (Shanley) and Madison; and great-grandchildren, Danica, Declan, Clark, Reagan and Jaxson.
He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Mike (Sandy) Farley; nephews Randy Carey, John (Brenda) Carey, and Bob Farley; nieces, Karen Farley (Phil Duff), and Vicky (Richard) Cramer. Also, eight great nieces and nephews, and numerous extended family members.
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