William David "Coach" Fly

William David "Coach" Fly, 86, of Senatobia, MS, passed away August 10, 2019 at Baptist Memorial Hospital DeSoto. He was a member of Senatobia Church of Christ. He was born November 5, 1932, the only child of Henry and Frances Walker Fly in Coffeeville, MS. He grew up in Water Valley and graduated from Water Valley High School. After graduating from Ole Miss (he dearly loved his Rebels) in 1955, he served in the US Army in Germany and Colorado where their only son was born. He became the first football coach at Independence High School in 1957 (13 years) before becoming the principal for 4 years. Other employment was educational representative  for Tayloe Paper Co. in Memphis and Central School Supply (Centec) in Jackson, MS. Later, he was an administrator for Tate County Schools and South Panola School districts. David was honored to coach in the 1967 Mississippi High All-Star football game. He was an active member of the Mississippi Association of Coaches where he served as a president in 1967, and a lifetime member of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee. He became the first inductee of the IHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. He was married to Mae Bell Cook Fly for 63 years.

Visitation will be from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 13, 2019 in the Chapel of Pate-Jones Funeral Home with services commencing at 3:00 p.m. Burial will follow in Senatobia Memorial Cemetery. Oscar Geeslin and Albert Wilkerson will officiate. Survivors include his wife, Mae Bell Fly; son, William Scott "Bill" Fly; grandchildren, William Theron Fly and Lindsay Fly Gober; brothers, Henry Dale Fly of Water Valley, MS and Kenneth Fly of Tillatoba, MS and sister, Virginia Woods of Duck Hill, MS. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Benton Gale Fly and Richard Fly.

Pallbearers for the service will be Tommy Hill, Grant Shipley, Donnie Smith, Gary Walker, Darnell Dunlap, Jim Ferguson, Steve Shelton and Harry Lee Floate. Honorary pallbearers will be Former IHS Football Players, Bob Tyler, Joe Pegram, Gaylon Booker, James Edwards, Paul Henry McCullar, Leaman Malone, James Knipple and The Coleman's Coffee Club.

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