BRANT COWSER (September 1925 – March 2014)
Across four decades as a teacher and a coach, Brant Cowser made an indelible contribution to Anaheim High School, and was an important member of the Colonist varsity football and boys basketball programs during the school’s legendary heyday. By every measure, he was Blue & Gold through and through.
Everett Brantley Cowser was born Sept. 23, 1925 in Goree, TX. At a young age, he moved with his family to the California desert community of Hemet. While attending Hemet Union High School, he was an outstanding all-around athlete for the Bulldogs in football, basketball, and track. Just after his 18th birthday, Cowser enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and served in World War II. After the war, he continued his educational and athletic pursuits. He went on to play basketball at Riverside Junior College, where he earned All-JC honors for the Tigers. Cowser also attended Denver University and graduated from UC Santa Barbara.
Brant Cowser came to Anaheim High School in 1953, where he started out teaching world history and driver’s education before eventually becoming a physical education instructor. That first year, he coached on the Bee football team as well as being the Cee and Dee boys basketball coach. A year later, he joined coach Clare Van Hoorebeke’s varsity football staff as an end coach, and remained as one of Van’s top assistants for the next 19 years. He continued as a varsity assistant at Anaheim with Bob Salerno, Roger Stahlhut, and Ted Mullen. During his football coaching career, Cowser was on the varsity staff for 24 Colonist playoff teams and 14 league championships. He was on staff for Anaheim High’s CIF-Southern Section championship teams in 1956 and 1967, as well as the division runner-up teams in 1962, 1966, and 1987.
In addition, Cowser was a longtime basketball coach at Anaheim, coaching on the lower levels from the time of his arrival until 1964, when he took over for the departed Don Liebhart as varsity boys head coach. He fashioned an 81-73 record in six seasons, with three CIF-SS playoff appearances and two Sunset League championships. He continued to teach physical education and coach at Anaheim High School until retiring in 1984. For his decades of service and accomplishment, Cowser was inducted into the Anaheim High School Hall of Fame in 2007.
He was preceded in death by his wife LaNell in 2011. They were married for 62 years. Brant is survived by his daughter Ricki and sons Mark and Scott, together with grandchildren Alexandria, Serena, and Jeremy, and great-grandchildren Peter and Zach. Services will be held Saturday, April 12, 2014, 11 .m., at Hilgenfeld’s Mortuary. 
