Football | 10/3/2017 8:52:00 PM

An obituary, along with funeral Information, will be posted once available. The family is working to schedule a memorial service in Old Main Chapel.

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Shippensburg University is saddened to learn of the Oct. 3 passing of former football coach and dean of students David A. Dolbin. He was 85.
 
SU extends its sincerest condolences to his family, friends and the countless individuals he mentored and influenced.
 
Dolbin was the head coach of the Shippensburg State College Football team from 1964-1971, posting 25 career victories during his tenure. He arrived at Shippensburg in 1963, serving one year as an assistant coach for Jack Roddick before his promotion.  
 
During his years as head coach, Dolbin instructed many outstanding players including Shippensburg Hall of Famers such as Ed Hammers, Al Bowman and Steve Ecker along with other standouts such as Lou Orndorff and Jim Buffington. He also mentored many players who went on to become successful coaches themselves, including Shippensburg Hall of Famer Jim Monos as well as Joe Makosky and Harry Chapman.
 
Dolbin also had a major role in the design and construction of Seth Grove Stadium back in the early 1970s. He helped organize the first-ever Alumni Game in 1972.
 
At Shippensburg, Dolbin held key leadership positions during a time of immense cultural change in the United States. A recognized university educator and administrator, Dolbin served as the Dean of Men at Shippensburg from 1963-1992. He was the first Dean of Students at Shippensburg, serving from 1975 until his retirement in 1992 as a full professor.
 
Upon retirement, Dolbin was awarded the prestigious Scott Goodnight Award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. Throughout his years, Dolbin was a role model and mentor to many Shippensburg students.
 
Prior to his arrival at Shippensburg, Dolbin was an outstanding high school and college athlete. He was inducted into the West Chester University Athletic Hall of Fame and the South Central Pennsylvania Athletic Hall of Fame in the 1990s.
 
While serving in the United States Army in the mid-1950s, Dolbin played for Fort Carson and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles as a linebacker in 1956. His love of teaching and his strong sense of public service led him to choose coaching rather than joining the ranks of professional players in the NFL.
 
He began his first head coaching stint at Captain Jack High School in Mount Union. In 1960, he took over as the head coach at John Harris High School in his former hometown of Harrisburg. While at the helm at John Harris, Dolbin's teams won two city championships. He was named the 1961 Central Pennsylvania Coach of the Year.
 
Additional information will be provided through his obituary, which will be posted once available online.
 
If you have a remembrance of Coach Dolbin that you would like to have included in this story, please submit through e-mail to sid@ship.edu. We will add it below when possible.

"I feel lucky that I was able to enjoy Dave's friendship. Among my favorite memories are those times when he picked me up to travel to South Central Pennsylvana Sports Hall of Fame meetings and banquets. Usually they were held in Carlisle, Gettysburg, Chambersburg and here in Shippensburg. While he was driving we talked about a wide range of topics, but I especially liked just sitting back and listening to all the stories he told. I think he had thousands of them. I can still remember him talking about playing football at West Chester, people who coached him, his own coaching anecdotes, living on campus, his time in the Army, his adventures in Iceland, building a top secret (at the time) Cold War bomb shelter in West Virginia, and the setting for the movie "How Green Is My Valley," which, if memory serves me correctly, was one valley over from the Dolbin ancestral home in Wales. There were many more. He ranked among my favorite raconteurs." -- John Alosi

"A tremendous inspiration and mentor for all students, not just student/athletes. Also, a wonderful role model for many of his football players who proceeded into the teaching/coaching profession. He will be missed and remembered by many. My condolences to his family." -- Lou Orndorff

"Dave was one of a kind. A gentle giant in my mind. Through my years at Ship, followed by our numerous fishing trips, we spent a lot of quality time together. Between Tim, Dave, my father, and brother, I can honestly say I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather share 10 hours a day in a boat. Kind, funny, smart, and above all a great friend to all! 
 
He was the ultimate storyteller. Each year, and with new members to the group, I'd look forward to the same old stories, told by the best guy ever. Even if I heard the story for the 15th time, it would still make me laugh harder each and every time. One of the classics is when he taught the new guys how to appropriately use "a-wipe" in the outhouse! 
 
I still have a few things he game me in my tackle box. When I lost my last favorite spoon, he gave me one of his, and wouldn't take it back the next year. I still have a sunglass lanyard on my fishing glasses he gave me. He had a spare one, and thought I could use it. 
 
Cooking together, filleting fish, the car rides, eating coming and going on the road (he often chose spaghetti, loved it), he was the perfect fishing camp partner. He was always good with fixing things as well, so he was our go-to guy most of the time. 
 
On my first fly-in to the Gouin, I was fortunate to share the boat with Dave when he caught his big pike. I sent him some pictures, and I know he framed one of them. It is still the biggest we've seen caught over our many years. I remember that day like it was yesterday. Actually, I forgot, Dave also caught the biggest walleye of our group, the big 8+ pounder at Lake Hebert. 
 
I know it is always tough to lose a loved one. Dave's later years were not good for him or the family. That always really ate away at Tim and I. I know it must have been tough for Margaret and all of the family. Remember all of the good times, the things you shared, and the love he gave to so many. Mentoring hundreds of Student Affairs students for many, many, years. He will be missed, and was missed greatly by our fishing gang the last few years. I loved him, and want you to know how much he meant to me!!!
 
With warmest regards, Mark Constantine