Funeral services set for legendary Georgia high school football coach T. McFerrin

MONROE, Ga. - Family and friends plan to say a final farewell to a beloved Georgia football coach this week.

T. McFerrin, one of the most accomplished and respected figures in Georgia high school football history, will be laid to rest on Tuesday afternoon following his death last week.

MORE: Georgia high school football legend T. McFerrin passes away at 83

The backstory:

The Jefferson High School football coach passed away at the age of 83 after a lengthy illness, state officials announced on Tuesday.

McFerrin, who won 341 games and two state championships during a 38-year coaching career, is remembered not just for his remarkable record but for the countless lives he influenced. He led seven different schools to region titles and remains the only coach in Georgia history to guide four different teams to the state finals.

Born and raised in Murfreesboro, Tenn., McFerrin was a standout defensive back at Murfreesboro High and later played college football at Millsaps College before transferring to Middle Tennessee, where he lettered in tennis and earned a degree in history. He began his coaching career in 1965 as an assistant at Druid Hills High School in Georgia and earned his first head coaching role at Lithonia High in 1968.

He coached at nine high schools, including a short stint in Tennessee, winning region championships at eight of them. His coaching record: 341 wins, 101 losses, and four ties. He was inducted into the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame several years later.

What they're saying:

"Dad always treated everyone, whether it was managers, custodians, players, parents, administration, or media, with the same respect and love. It did not matter if you were a star player or fourth string, he treated everyone the same," McFerrin's son, Thomas "Tom" Sumner McFerrin V said.

"Dad came from a long line of preachers, but he decided to go into another form of ministry called teaching and coaching. He was not one to preach at you, but he lived out his Christian values through his actions and how he treated people. After retirement, he became very involved in Monroe First Methodist Church, FCA, and the CLC (Christian Learning Center), as well as serving on many committees and boards around the state," son Robert "Rob" Johnston McFerrin said.

"The thing that attracted me originally to him was that he was a well-mannered and courteous gentleman, and he remained that way all his life. He was a caring, compassionate, and competitive person. Aside from his dedication to coaching and teaching, he was a dedicated family man," his wife, Jane Johnston McFerrin, recalled in his obituary.

What we know:

McFerrin's funeral will be held on Tuesday at 1 at the Lighthouse World Outreach Center on Gene Bell Rd in Monroe, Georgia. A reception will follow at the Monroe First Methodist Church at 400 S. Broad St in Monroe. 

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to Monroe First Methodist Church, the Christian Learning Center, or the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.