Beloved North Mason head baseball coach Bill Geyer died Oct. 23 after a long, courageous battle against cancer. He was 62 years old.

Daulton Geyer, Bill's youngest son, said his father died at home in Belfair with family members by his side, including his wife Cami.

"Bill was loved by this community," North Mason athletic director Mark Swofford said Wednesday morning. "He was respected as a coach, a friend, a mentor to younger coaches, and a guy that would do anything for the Bulldogs."

Geyer, who was first diagnosed with signet cell cancer in 2015, coached the Bulldogs for nine seasons. He enjoyed a stellar final season with the team last spring as North Mason won 12 games — a career-best for Geyer — qualified for the Class 2A state tournament for the first time since 2010.

Despite his uncertain future, Geyer said during his team's playoff run that he hoped to return to coaching in 2020.

“I’m going to go until I can’t," Geyer said.

Daulton Geyer said the person he called his father was also his best friend.

"I’ll never forget all the times we shared and they will be cherished forever," Daulton said. "It’s unbelievable how much of an impact he had on our community, and others for that matter, but the support is being reciprocated back to our family in this tough time."

Born in Chula Vista, California, Geyer worked for the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for 30 years and first began coaching baseball at North Mason as a volunteer in 1991. In 2016 he was inducted into the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. His two sons, Dashiell and Daulton, graduated from North Mason and each played three sports.

The North Mason School District issued a release on Geyer's passing Wednesday morning and said a memorial service is being planned. High school assistant principal Steve Hackett, who played baseball at North Mason when Geyer was an assistant coach for the Bulldogs, said administrators also met with the baseball team.

"Coach was a guy everyone in town knew and he always took the time to stop and talk and share a laugh with everyone," said Hackett, who coached Geyer's two sons in basketball. "He would always ask about my wife and kids and really showed me that they were much more important than what happened on Friday nights. He was so proud of his boys and would get the 'Geyer glow' talking about Dashiell and Daulton. One of the big things he taught me is that our players are our responsibility for life, not just a season or while they are in high school."

North Mason football coach Frank Helper Jr. said Geyer was a welcoming presence after Hepler joined the school's staff in 2018.

"Our Bulldog family lost a giant today," Hepler said. "Coach Geyer was always an awesome role model for me. He helped show me the ropes out here and I’ll forever be grateful for his friendship."

Fellow baseball coaches around the Olympic League remember Geyer as a great guy to be around, whether on the field or off it.

"A few of us baseball guys got together with him a little while back and had a great time," said Olympic athletic director and former baseball coach Nate Andrews. "We had some great belly laughs. ... He was the glue that brought everybody together in the baseball world. We're going to miss him for sure."

After the high school baseball season ended in June, North Kitsap baseball coach Jeff Weible spent four days with Geyer at the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

"We had a great time," Weible said. "I knew he was hurting, but he never let on that he wasn't having the time of his life. He loved baseball and was the classiest guy I knew. We will miss him a ton on and off the field."