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Private First Class Willie “Coach” Dorsey

An African American man wearing a shirt and tie.
  • Unit: Service Battery, 269th Field Artillery Battalion
  • Date of Birth: October 21, 1931
  • Date of Death: July 19, 2023
  • Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
  • Place of Death: Jacksonville, Florida
  • Cemetery: Section 14, Site 1254. Jacksonville National Cemetery, Jacksonville, Florida
Contributed by Penelope Carroll, Ray Cruz, Aaron Fryzel, Eduardo Galindo, Kaimana Huertas, Nikhil Kalidindi, Landon Leister, Samuel Stratton
Mentored by Mrs. Melissa Machaj-Abbs
Switzerland Point Middle School
2024/2025

Early Life

Willie Dorsey was born on October 21, 1931, in Jacksonville, Florida. His parents were Richard and Alice Dorsey. The 1935 Florida state census shows Richard and Alice living with their children, Richard Jr., Dorothy, Ernest, Will, and Beatrice, in Duval County. Richard and Alice had grammar school educations, and Richard is listed as unemployed.

In the 1940 census, Willie lived with his grandparents, L.C. and Elizabeth Lebirie, in Marion County, with two of his siblings. He had several siblings, including his sisters Beatrice, Imy, and Rutha, and his brothers Parcel, Frank, and Sammy Lee.

Dorsey graduated from Matthew W. Gilbert High School, an African American high school, where he excelled as a multi-sport athlete. In 1952, he was named to the all-state football team

In 1950, he married Deloris Bowman in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, beginning a new chapter in his life.

The Dorsey family, living in Duval County, Florida, in the 1935 Florida state census. State of Florida.
In 1940, Dorsey lived with siblings and cousins in the home of his grandparents, L.C. and Elizabeth Lebirie, in Marion County, Florida. National Archives and Records Administration.
The 1950 U.S. Census shows Dorsey living with his father and 16-year-old sister Beatrice as lodgers. National Archives and Records Administration.

Homefront

Willie Dorsey grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, a city that saw substantial growth in the 1940s and 1950s. Jacksonville, located along the Atlantic coast, was an important hub for shipbuilding. The area was also known for its production of glass bottles, cigars, paper, and Maxwell House coffee. The economic opportunity drove population growth. By 1950, over 200,000 people lived in Jacksonville.

In 1942, the U.S. Navy established the Naval Air Operations Training Command in Jacksonville. The base, today known as Naval Air Station Jacksonville, continues to be an important location for training naval aviators.

Men and women working together at the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company during World War II. Florida Memory (N032510).
The intersection of Adams Street and Main Street in Jacksonville, Florida, 1950s. Metro Jacksonville.
An aerial view of Hemming Park, which is now James Weldon Johnson Park, in Jacksonville, Florida, 1950s. Metro Jacksonville.

Military Experience

Willie Dorsey served in the Service battery of the 269th Field Artillery Battalion. Service batteries provided important supplies, maintenance, and other logistical support to help soldiers complete their missions. Unfortunately, Dorsey’s Official Military Personnel File burned in the 1973 fire at the National Archives, leaving little record of additional details of his service.

Dorsey was stationed at Fort Collins, Colorado, when he was discharged on January 21, 1955. After he was discharged from active duty, he transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve to complete his military service in Jacksonville, Florida.

Willie Dorsey’s discharge order from the U.S. Army, January 21, 1955. Portions have been redacted for privacy reasons. National Archives and Records Administration.

Veteran Experience

Dorsey continued his education at Florida A&M University, earning his degree in January 1959.

Willie Dorsey dedicated 33 years working as a teacher in Duval County Public Schools. He spent 27 of those years coaching various sports. Over time, he became widely known as simply “Coach.” He served as the Chair of the Health Department, taught Physical Education and Driver Education, and was the Head Varsity Coach for the boys basketball team.

During his nearly 20 years at Raines High School in Jacksonville, Coach Dorsey built an impressive basketball program, earning 341 victories, including ten seasons with 20 or more wins between 1971 and 1988. By the time he retired in 1988, his coaching record stood at 425–168, ranking him among Florida’s top 20 coaches at the time. In recognition of his contributions, he was inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1989.

Beyond coaching, Dorsey was deeply committed to education and athletics. His dedication earned him honors from prestigious organizations, including the Jacksonville Hall of Fame and the African American Coaches, Games Officials, and Athletic Association. 

In 2008, he further cemented his legacy by writing and publishing Changing Defense by the Numbers: Winning Basketball with High Tech Defense. His impact on his family, students, athletes, and the broader community left a lasting legacy of excellence.

Above all, Dorsey cherished his role as a devoted husband to Deloris Bowman Dorsey and a loving father to their children, Cylenthia, Marian, Willie, Michael, Cecilia, Richard, Timothy, Paul, Joseph, and Cassandra. His legacy continues to live on through his family and the many lives he touched.

Coach Willie Dorsey, speaking to his players in the locker room. Courtesy of the William M. Raines High School Archives.
Coach Willie Dorsey (standing, far left), with members of the 1981 Raines High School Boys Basketball team. Raines High School Yearbook, 1981.
Coach Willie Dorsey had earned 322 wins and was among Florida’s top basketball coaches while still coaching in 1983. The Orlando Sentinel, January 19, 1983.
Coach Willie Dorsey was named to the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The Tampa Tribune, August 12, 1988.
The cover of Dorsey’s book, Changing Defense by the Numbers: Winning Basketball with High Tech Defense, 2008.

Commemoration

Willie “Coach” Dorsey died on July 19, 2023 at the age of 91. He is buried in Jacksonville National Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Willie Dorsey’s family displayed many of his basketball awards at his memorial service in 2023. Courtesy of the Dorsey family.
Coach Willie Dorsey’s headstone at Jacksonville National Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida, March 3, 2025. Courtesy of AJ Fryzel.
The principal at William M. Raines High School issued a Resolution of Respect in memory of Willie Dorsey, July 27, 2023. William M. Raines High School.
The principal at William M. Raines High School issued a Resolution of Respect in memory of Willie Dorsey, July 27, 2023. William M. Raines High School.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

Dorsey, Willie. Changing Defense by the Numbers: Winning Basketball with High Tech Defense. AuthorHouse, 2008.  

Florida. Duval County. 1935 Florida State Census. Digital images. https://ancestry.com. 

Florida. Marion County. 1940 U.S. Census. Digital images. https://ancestry.com. 

Florida. Duval County. 1950 U.S. Census. Digital images. https://ancestry.com.

McLin, E.H. “The Sports Parade.” Tampa Bay Times [St. Petersburg, FL], December 16, 1952. Newspapers.com (332163694).

Men and women operating milling machine at St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company. Photograph. c.1941-1945. Florida Memory (N032510). 

“Mr. Willie ‘Coach’ Dorsey.” Florida Times-Union, [Jacksonville, FL], July 27, 2023. https://www.jacksonville.com/obituaries/pfla0535007. 

Willie Dorsey, Discharge Order, Department of the Army. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

Secondary Sources

“Acosta honored by FACA.” The Tampa Tribune [Tampa, FL], August 12, 1988. Newspapers.com (33752790). 

“Florida in World War II.” Florida Memory. Accessed May 14, 2025. https://www.floridamemory.com/learn/exhibits/wwii/homefront/.

“History.” Naval Region Southeast. Accessed May 14, 2025. https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/About/History/.

Davis, Ennis. “A virtual look at Jacksonville’s industrial heritage.” The Jaxson. Updated August 29, 2022. Accessed May 14, 2025. https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/a-virtual-look-at-jacksonvilles-industrial-heritage/.

Davis, Ennis. “When Downtown Was The Place to Be.” Metro Jacksonville, May 6, 2008. https://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-may-when-downtown-was-the-place-to-be.  

“Florida in World War II.” Florida Memory State Library and Archives. Accessed December 1, 2024. https://www.floridamemory.com/learn/exhibits/wwii/homefront/.

“Florida’s winningest active coaches.” The Orlando Sentinel [Orlando, FL], January 19, 1983. Newspapers.com (227588521). 

“Hall of Fame Award.” Florida Athletic Coaches Association. Accessed December 1, 2024. https://www.floridacoaches.org/hall-of-fame-award.html.  

Jeffery, Eva. “The USS Orleck.” Atlas Obscura. Updated January 30, 2018. Accessed December 1, 2024. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-uss-orleck-lake-charles-louisiana. 

Simons, Jr., George W. Population Characteristics of Jacksonville – Duval Area Planning Region. 1963. Thomas G. Carpenter Library Special Collections and Archives, University of North Florida.  https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/simonsflorida/22/.

“Willie ‘Coach’ Dorsey.” Find a Grave. Updated July 20, 2023. Accessed November 15, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/256870349/willie-dorsey.  

“Willie Dorsey.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed May 14, 2025. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/WILLIEDORSEY/a41c9f.

This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.