OKLAHOMA CITY – Lester Metheny, a former Oklahoma City University baseball and golf coach, died Tuesday. He was 91.

Services for Metheny will be held on Monday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. at Quail Springs Baptist Church, 14613 N. May Ave. in Oklahoma City.

The entryway to Jim Wade Stadium has been named Metheny Alumni Plaza in honor of Metheny, whose OCU career spanned from 1948-85. It was dedicated April 16, 2009.

“We're so honored to have our alumni plaza named for him,” OCU baseball coach Denney Crabaugh said. “When I first came here, he was larger than life. When you talked about OCU, his name came up alongside Abe Lemons'.”

Metheny served as OCU golf coach from 1963-81. Metheny was appointed interim athletic director in 1980 and led the Chiefs on the baseball diamond as head coach in 1953-55.

Metheny retired from OCU in 1985 after many years of service to the university. He served in many capacities, including chairman of the health and physical education department, admissions officer, dean of men and dean of students. He continued to promote OCU in his retirement as he helped inspire many of the connections to the university that are now in place at Epworth Villa, a United Methodist Retirement Center.

“My 36 years at OCU have been wonderful for me,” Metheny said when he retired. “When I think about the friends and the experiences I've had here at OCU, nothing could take their place. If anything I've done has helped any youngster, I've been well paid. Working with the students is one of the real joys of a job like this.”