Former Stags Basketball Coach Passes
September 30, 2026
By:
David Birdsell
Photo of 1990 state tournament girls basketball team. From left to right are Shannon Alderson (Jorgensen), Shanna Sampson, Brooke Gardner (Lyons), Glennise Huffman (Grantham), Tami Shallbetter (Wilcox), Janelle Puthoff, Karyn Kirkingburg, Jennifer Watson (Giulio), Bonnie McDowall (Staub), and manager Rhonda Kelsh. In the front are assistant coach Larry Becker and head coach Lance Anderson. Photo courtesy Lance Anderson.
Former Deer Park School District teacher and coach Lance Anderson passed away on Sept. 21 at the age of 72. He spent his entire 34-year teaching career in the Deer Park district at both the junior high and high school. He also served as head coach of the Lady Stags basketball team, making program history with their first state tournament team in the 1989-90 season.
A native of Metaline Falls, Wash., Anderson was an All Pan- orama League basketball player at Selkirk High School before attending Washington State Uni- versity, Eastern Washington Uni- versity, and Whitworth University where he earned his master's degree. He spent many summers playing in the recreational softball leagues in the Deer Park area and was an avid golfer. A public celebration of life is planned at Deer Park High School on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 1 p.m.