Obituaries for CHS Teachers, Principals, & Coaches

LAYTON, Dr. George, 80, a resident of Montgomery, died Sunday (Jan 27, 2002) at Jackson Hospital. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Billie Layton; a daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Dr. Roger Duggar of Montgomery; a daughter, Diane Layton of Tuscaloosa; three grandchildren, Dr. Chris Duggar (LeeAnn) of Orlando, Florida, Cameron Roquemore (Hunter), of Montgomery and Will Duggar of Montgomery. Visitation will be at Leak Memory on Monday, January 28, 2002 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Funeral services will be at the First United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Alabama at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 29, 2002. Burial services will follow at 3:00 p.m. in Dr. Layton's home town of Ashford, Alabama. Service is the work that can best characterize Dr. George L. Layton's lengthy career as an educator. Since his retirement in 1982 as the Assistant State Superintendent for Postsecondary Services, he continued to contribute his time and efforts to serve the cause of public education as well as those who have served as educators. Upon retiring, Layton entered politics and was elected to the Alabama State Legislature from Jefferson County. To recognize the valuable contributions of Alabama's older citizens to this state, he introduced legislation to create the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. It was approved, and Dr. Layton was appoointed a charter member by Governor George C. Wallace. Since 1984, he has served voluntarily as vice-chairman and executive secretary of that organization.  Dr. Layton is the past president of the Alabama Retired Teachers Association. He has been a member of its Board of Control and the Alabama Retired State Employees' Board of Control since 1992. He has been a member of the Alabama Teacher Retirement System's and PEEHIP's Boards of Control since 1991. From 1992 through 1995, he served as the associate vice president for the American Association of Retired Persons and from 1992 to 1997 as the chairman of the Area Agency on Aging Advisory Committee of Jefferson County. Dr. Layton earned a BS Degree from Troy State College in 1946, an MA Degree in 1950, and his Ph.D in 1962 in school administration from the University of Alabama. Dr. Layton served in the United States Air Force during World War II from 1942 to 1945 as a member of the Flying Tigers in the CBI Theater. Entering the field of public education in Alabama in 1946, Dr. Layton has served the lives of countless students for more than two generations during his tenure as a teacher and a coach at Cottonwood (Houston Co.) and Brantley (Crenshaw Co.) High Schools; principal at Lynn, Winterboro and Childersburg High Schools; superintendent of Troy City and Anniston City School Systems; assistant superintendent for Birmingham City Schools; coordinator of the instruction of Tuscaloosa City Schools; adjunct associate professor at UAB; and president of Jefferson State Junior College. He also actively participated in many professional education organizations during his career. He was president of the Alabama Association of School Administrators, president of the University and College Presidents Association, president of Phi Kappa Educational Association, chairman of Alabama Beta Club Council, president of the Alabama State Junior College Presidents Association, and trustee of the Alabama Education Association. Dr. Layton is a life member of NEA and a retired delegate to that organization since 1989. He was a membner of the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges' Accreditation Committee and served on several visitation teams and committees. Dr. Layton's good works and contributions to the profession he loves have been recognized and honored on several occasions. In 1969, he was appointed by President Richard Nixon to the Alabama State Presidential Advisory Committee on Public Education. He was named an Outstanding Educator of America in 1970, Alumnus of the Year in the Field of Education by Troy State University in 1971 and Junior College Administrator of the Year by Montevallo University in 1979. Recently, he was given the Senior of Achievement Award by the Montgomery Area Council on Aging (MACOA) for his tireless dedication and work for the senior citizens of Alabama. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the George and Billie Layton Endowed Scholarship Fund, Shelton State Community College Foundation, 9500 Old Greensboro Road, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35405, or the First United Methodist Church, 2416 West Cloverdale Park, Montgomery, AL 36106. Leak-Memory Chapel Directing

Funeral service for Coach John W. Cox will be Monday, 2 p.m., at Childersburg First United Methodist Church, the Rev. John Vercigilio officiating. Burial will be in Greenhill Memorial Cemetery. Cox died Feb. 21 at his home in Childersburg, following a lengthy illness. His entire coaching career was spent at Childersburg High School, where he started the football program in 1947. His first team won five games against teams that had been established for years. In 1956, his team was undefeated, and he was named the Birmingham-Post Herald's Class 2-A Coach Of The Year. During his career, his football teams won 204 games, lost 109 and tied 15. Cox also coached basketball for thirteen years with one state tournament appearance and only one losing season. He was Childersburg's baseball coach for six years, all of them winning seasons. Cox served as assistant principal at Childersburg High School, while serving as head football coach at the same time during the last twelve years of his career. He received numerous awards and other honors throughout his career including being named Talladega County's Coach Of The Year ten times. In 1976, the stadium at Childersburg High School was renamed in his honor. The coach was president of the Alabama State High School Athletic Association in 1957 and, on two occasions, served on the National Association Rules committee. On Feb. 28, 1981, a banquet climaxed a special "John Cox Week," of festivities. The Childersburg community presented him with a pick-up truck, and in 1989, the Childersburg Chamber Of Commerce inducted Cox and four other citizens into its newly established Hall Of Fame. In 1991, he was honored to be one of 21 individuals inducted into the inaugural Alabama High School Sports Hall Of Fame, and in 1997, a special reception at Alabama Community College honored the "Coaching Legend." Among those attending were former students whose lives he touched and influenced. A John W. Cox scholarship fund was established to continue the education of young adults who excel in athletics and academics while in school and who demonstrate a Christian lifestyle. Bill Kallenbach a former player for Cox said "I could never repay him for all he did for me and what he taught me. Any success I've had in my lifetime I owe to Coach Cox. He took me as a boy and made a man that he taught honesty and integrity. He taught me to always be the best I could be at whatever I did." Lee Carpenter said "God didn't make many people like coach. This world was a better place because of him. He influenced the way I lived my life along with how I treat people. He was a great man and I loved him." Bobby Overton, head football coach at B.B. Comer High School in Sylacauga earned a scholarship to the University Of Chattanooga under Cox's leadership, and was able to pursue his dream of becoming a coach himself. "He was a great inspiration," said Overton. "He is the reason I am a coach. He took me to my first college football game. He was always organizing a day for us to go see Alabama, Auburn or other college teams play. The last three years I played for him, we had a really good team. We were 27 to three." Tom Jeff Duvall said "Coach Cox was like family to all the boys who played for him from 1947 to the last team he coached. I played for him, and my son played for him. My son's team experienced the same closeness. We all had a bond, created by the coach. It's a bond of love and pride. He was truly one of the best." Duvall said men who played ball under Cox have been calling constantly since word of his death has spread, and team members from throughout the South will attend his funeral. Cox was born in Arab Sept. 29, 1920 and attended Marshall County High School and the University Of Alabama. He earned a master's degree from George Peabody College. He received the Bronze Star and a Presidential Citation for his services during four major battles in World War II. His family will receive visitors Sunday 2-6 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Childersburg. Cox is survived by his wife, Ruby Cox of Childersburg; one son, Stan Cox of Childersburg; one daughter, Debbie McEntire and her husband, Gaylon McEntire of Houston, Texas; one granddaughter, Leslie McEntire of Houston, Texas; and one nephew, Frank Lee Cox of Arab. Active pallbearers will be Bobby Weaver, Bill Kallenbach, Bobby Overton, Tom Jeff Duvall, Ron Webster, Wade Burleson, Jack Ray and Mickey Hollis. Honorary pall bearers will be former players, coaches, teachers, principals, administrators, and managers of Childersburg High School and Ed Johnson. The family request memorials to the John Cox Scholarship Fund or to Childersburg First United Methodist Church.

SUMMERS, III, Christie Wappello, 65, a resident of Prattville, AL, died at home on Thursday, March 14, 2002, after an extended illness. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, March 24, 2002 at 2:00 p.m. from The Church of the Ascension, Montgomery, AL with the Reverend John-Michael VanDyke officiating. Inurnment will follow in the church's Memorial Garden. Dr. Summers earned his Doctorate Degree in Education from the University of Alabama and served as an educator for 33 years. He was the Principal and Band Director of Childersburg High School and Transportation Director for the Talladega School System. He moved to Prattville, AL in 1974 and was employed in the Title I Program for the State of Alabama, Department of Education. He was also the Dean of Education at Troy State University in Montgomery, AL for over 12 years. After his retirement from education, he was self-employed as a Financial Advisor with American Express. Dr. Summers was also very active in church, community and civic activities. He was a member of the choir at the Church of the Ascension in Montgomery, AL; a member of the Exchange Club in Montgomery, AL, having served as President; a member of AARP in Prattville, AL and a Board Member for the Chamber of Commerce in Prattville, AL. He is survived by his beloved spouse of 4 years, Barbara Summers; two daughters, Cynthia Jane Summers and Nancy Summers Medley.

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