Don Dyer

Don Dyer, was born on October 18, 1933, to Julia and E.T. Dyer. He was raised in Clarendon, Arkansas, where he graduated high school. Dyer earned his B.S.E. in physical education in 1955 and his M.S.E. in counselor education in 1962 from Henderson State University. He was involved in football, basketball, track and ROTC. Dyer was captain of the football team and was voted best athlete his senior year. He received the all AIC Award his junior and senior years. Dyer received his commission as a second lieutenant after basic training, serving in the Army from 1955-1957. His coaching career began at DeValls Bluff. Coaching at England High School from 1958-1961, his girls' team won state championships two years and were semi-finalists one year. He took the Perryville, Mo., High School team to their first and only state tournament appearance. In 1963, Dyer came to Henderson as the men's basketball coach. Henderson was the first Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference team to play in the NAIA National Championship game. Under his leadership Henderson enjoyed four trips to the NAIA National Tournament, won eight AIC titles, four District 17 titles and was the NAIA national runner up in 1976, taking third place in 1977. Dyer coached seven All Americans and holds the best AIC record ever for a 10-team league. Dyer was the runner-up for the National Coach of the Year for Small Colleges in 1975-1976. Dyer again enjoyed remarkable success as head coach at UCA from 1979 until he retired in 1993. Dyer was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1992. He was an inaugural inductee into the Henderson Hall of Honor in 1997 and the UCA Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. Dyer is the only coach to take two different schools to the NAIA National Championship games. At the time of his retirement, his career collegiate record of 606-277. Dyer was the most winning collegiate men's basketball coach on any level in Arkansas. Don recalled his time as a student at Henderson as four of the best years of his life. He came with a full athletic scholarship offered to him by Coach Duke Wells. Dyer claimed "this was a turning point in my life, for without this scholarship I was not financially able to attend college. Coach Wells was like a father to me because my dad had passed away when I was one year old." Dyer was a former member of the HSU Alumni Board and was involved in numerous community boards in Conway where he lives with his wife Mary. He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Mary Dyer, son, Don Paul, and two grandchildren, Jourdon and Brandon. Don was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers, Robert, Benny, Bill Dyer, Tunny Stinnet. Memorial service will be Wednesday, May 19, 2021, at 1 p.m., at St. Joseph Catholic Church. A reception will be at 2:30 p.m., at the UCA Sports Hall of Fame at Estes Stadium on the UCA campus. In Lieu of flowers donations can be made to the St. Joseph School Endowment fund. Online guestbook available: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/conway