Obituary -  James Anthony Eckel, "Woosie", departed this life
Sunday, January 24, 2010 at his Morristown, Tennessee home.

He was born November 12, 1931 in Morristown, Tennessee to 
the late Anthony and Sallie J. Eckel.  He was preceded in death
by his brothers; Howard, William, Raymond and Ralph, sisters
Lou, Martha Jane and Nell.  Survivors include his wife of 54
years Mary Ann Stewart Eckel, son James Anthony Eckel, Jr. 
and his wife Roslyn of Raleigh, North Carolina.  Two grand
children James Anthony, III and Linsey Dylan Eckel of Raleigh,
North Carolina.  Sisters-in-laws May Long, Celia Williams
(Richard), and Sara Dailey of Morristown, Tennessee; 
Josephine Scruggs (Julius) of Huntsville, Alabama and brother-
in-law Troy Stewart, Jr. of Morristown, Tennessee, and many
loving nieces, nephews, cousins and other friends and 
acquaintances.

Mr. Eckel was a well known high school administrator, teacher 
and coach in Tennessee.  He graduated from Morristown
College High School, Morristown College and Knoxville
College.  He also received a Master's Degree in Education
from Tennessee State University.  Mr. Eckel was a veteran of
the United States Army.

He began his high school teaching and coaching career in 
Alamo, Tennessee.  Next he served as a math teacher and
coach for 12 years at West High School (currently West 
Elementary School) in Morristown, Tennessee.  He then taught
at Morristown East High School for 2 years before moving to
Kingsport's Dobyns-Bennett High School as a teacher,
assistant principal and coach for over 25 years.

Mr. Eckel was very involved in the community and active in 
several organizations including; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity,
the Kiwanis Club, N.A.A.C.P., Reunion of the Ages, The Red
Cross, Tee-2-Green Golf Club, and the Democratic Party.

A few of the individuals who came to pay their respects

What Coach Eckel meant to me...

        I was born into a very poor family in Morristown, Tennessee.
If we weren't the poorest, we were tied for first place ( or "Last Place").
I was the baby of 6 kids and mom died when I was 13 months old. 
Dad went up north to work and promptly disappeared, never to be
heard from again.

     That left us to be reared by our maternal Grandmother, Joella Guthrie.
She was a devout Christian woman and resisted all efforts to split
up the family because of her age. She declared: "God will help me
raise these kids." Later on she married a widowed minister, who
died after a few years, which added his two kids to the total. 
Grandmother, now named Joella Kyle did not let that deter her from her 
earlier vow. When I graduated from West High School in 1961 and went
off to college, Grandmother died, her mission was acomplished.

     This tribute is not about me, but it is necessary to emphasize what it
meant for me to have a "role model" named James Anthony Eckel, Sr.
Coach Eckel often talked about being the class Valedictorian, Star 
Athlete and Military Veteran. He told us that being a good student
would open doors that would otherwise remain closed. In my situation,
I was a prime candidate to be a failure, except, I followed the same
trail that Coach Eckel had laid out and became the class Valedictorian,
Star Athlete and Military Veteran.  In 2004, when I was helping him
with a minor computer problem, I revealed to him the fact that he had
indeed been my "role model". He was surprised and pleased because
I had done well with my life under trying circumstances. Had he not
existed, I shudder to think what would have become of me.
                                                          William L. Mason
 West High School - Class of 1961