Ronnie E. "Coach" Aughtry

Ronnie E. 'Coach' Aughtry, 75, of Abbeville, husband of Ethel Morgan Aughtry, died Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at MUSC-Charleston. He was born in Greenwood, SC to the late Mack E. & O'Nell Young Aughtry. Coach Aughtry was a 1954 graduate of Greenwood High School where he played for Coach Pinky Babb and the Greenwood Emerald football team. He was inducted into the Greenwood Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005. Coach Aughtry graduated from Western Carolina College where he played football and was part of a group called the "Herd". After graduation, he married his sweetheart, Ethel Morgan, and began a prestigious coaching career having coached in various locations throughout South Carolina such as, Daniel H.S., Greenwood H.S., Mullins H.S., McCormick H.S., Brooklyn-Cayce H.S. and Blue Ridge H.S.. He was honored to serve alongside Coach Dick Singleton in the 1973 Shrine Bowl. He served as the 1975 Head Coach for the North-South All Star Game. Coach and Mrs. Aughtry moved to Abbeville in 1983 where he became Assistant Principal of Abbeville High School for 12 years. He was of the Baptist faith and served his country in the U.S. Marines. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Dennis Aughtry. Surviving Coach Aughtry is his wife of 49 years of the home; two daughters, Ronda (Dr. Ty McElveen) of Ridgeland, SC and Deedy Rivers of Abbeville; three special grandchildren, Chloe and Oliver McElveen and Noah Rivers. The family will receive friends from 2:00PM to 3:30PM on Sunday, March 11, 2012 at Harris Funeral Home. Funeral services will begin at 3:30PM on Sunday in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Dr. John Keith and 'Coach' Mike Hendricks officiating. Serving as Pallbearers will be Donald Middleton, Dave Roberts, Joe Dillard, Alfred 'Monk' Synder, Dick Singleton, Mike Hendricks and Ken Morgan. Honorary Pallbearers will be the Coach's Class from First Baptist Church, Jim McCall, Dr. Mike Campbell, Johnny Goodwin and James Bobo. Burial will follow in Long Cane Cemetery with military honors. The family is at the residence. Memorial contributions, in memory of Coach Aughtry, may be sent to the Abbeville County Sheriff's Office, c/o Animal Control, 21 Old Calhoun Falls Rd., Abbeville, SC 29620 or to the United Christian Ministries of Abbeville County (UCMAC), PO Box 502, Abbeville, SC 29620. A message of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com. HARRIS FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERIVICES is assisting the Aughtry family.