Jack Coberly, Class of 1952

Jack Coberly ’52 died June 8, 2020. He was born in Louisville, OH on July 15, 1930. After high school graduation in 1948, he continued his education at Otterbein college where he obtained his Bachelors of Art in Education in 1952. While at Otterbein, he was part of the history club, Pi Beta Sigma (Pi Sig) fraternity, and met his late wife Helen Morton ’53.

After serving in the Army during the Korean Conflict for two years, he began teaching in Akron Public Schools. He obtained a Masters in School Administration and Guidance and was named principal at Buchtel High School, lauded as the youngest person to be appointed an Akron principal. He later served at Kenmore and Hyre before retiring in 1983. He was a highly successful principal – innovative, controversial, unorthodox and proud to be known as “The Maverick Principal”. Little wonder that his favorite song was “I did it my way”.
He was community minded and active in the Jaycees, and Kiwanis, where he served as president. At Trinity U.C.C. he served as youth leader, adult Sunday school teacher, usher, deacon and elder. He was a member of Trinity’s fellowship committee, and T n C outreach. In retirement, he served as a lay minister at WRMC’s worship services on Sunday evenings.

He is survived by four daughters, Jean Hamed (Gary), Gail Endress (Terry), Nancy Pilcher (Tom), and Carla Lemon (Jim), 10 grandchildren, and 17 great grandchildren, and sister, Freda.