April 7, 2012

Funeral for J.P. “Coach” Cain, 82, of Hartselle will be Mon., April 9, at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Hartselle with Ministers Robert Sparkman and Rob Cain officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing.

Burial will be in Hartselle City Cemetery.

Mr. Cain died Sat., April 7, 2012, at Decatur General Hospital following a brief but courageous battle with cancer. He was born July 26, 1929, in Morgan County to Paul R. and Esther T. Cain and was a lifelong resident of Hartselle.

He graduated from the former Morgan County High School and received a football scholarship at Jacksonville State University where he earned Little All-American honors as a center and earned a B.S. degree in physical education. He also graduated from Peabody College where he received his Ed.S degree.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1950 to 1953 in the European Theater, during the Korean War. Following his discharge, he returned to Hartselle to pursue a career as an educator, principal, coach and athletic director. He coached the Hartselle Tigers from 1957 to 1968, served as Hartselle Junior High School’s first principal from 1969 to 1980 and was principal of Hartselle High School from 1981 until his retirement in 1988.

He was honored and humbled by being inducted into the first Hartselle High Hall of Fame, the first honoree for the John Frank Parker Freedom Award, Morgan County Sports Hall of Fame, Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame, Jacksonville State University Hall of Fame, and was selected Citizen of the Year by the Civitans.

He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Hartselle where he served on the Administrative Board. He was also a member of John F. Thompson American Legion Post 52, Morgan County Boys and Girls Club, Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association and the Morgan County Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his former wife, Linda Trotter Cain; and an infant daughter, Ester Lyn Cain.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Ruth Forrester Cain of Hartselle; a daughter, Ann Forrester Harrington and husband Don of Scottsboro; three sons, Paul Cain and wife Deborah of Athens; Charley Cain and wife Shari of Hartselle; Rob Cain and wife Tuffy of Tuscaloosa; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Please honor Coach Cain’s request that in lieu of flowers, make a contribution to the Special Needs Accessible Playground (SNAP), the Boys and Girls Club, or the First United Methodist Church Good Samaritan Fund.