Longtime Belleville West coach and educator dies at 84

A longtime local educator and the coach who launched the girls softball program at Belleville West has died.

Tom Ninnis, 84, of Millstadt, died Wednesday at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, according to an obituary from Kurrus Funeral Home.

Ninnis was a teacher in the business department at Belleville West when he was tapped to start the softball program in spring 1978.

The Maroons finished that first season with a 6-11 record, but were 21-game winners and regional champions by 1980. They won no fewer than 23 games in a season for the remainder of Ninnis’ tenure, which ended with a 29-win season in 1995.

Under Ninnis, West softball enjoyed some of its best seasons, placing second at the IHSA Class 2A State Tournament in 1986 and in fourth place with a career-best 35 wins in 1992.

He went on to be an assistant coach at Southwest Illinois College and to coach his children’s and grandchildren’s teams.

Rita Menke, who coached at rival Belleville East during the same period, winning three state titles in the 1990s, recalled some “epic” games against Ninnis’ Maroons.

“Tom was a class act. He was calm, win or lose,” Menke said. “His players worked hard for him and really respected him. I did to.”

In all, the Maroons went 408-88 (an .822 winning percentage) in 17 seasons under Ninnis.

Ninnis is survived by his wife, Betty, their four children and their 10 grandchildren. A great-grandchild is expected in October, according to the obituary.

A visitation is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Kurrus Funeral Home in Belleville. The funeral is at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

The family is asking that memorials be made to the Belleville West softball program.