Larry Jordan
It is rather ironic that on the front page of our class website, it has the entrance to Pat Mayes Lake. With the death of Coach Nance, some of my most pleasant and enjoyable experiences as an adult revolved around camping at Pat Mayes on the weekends for several years in a row. While Judy and I and our two oldest daughters were camping beginners--Coach Nance and Charlie Sparks (also deceased) were old hands at it and were there every weekend--rain-sun-sleet or snow. It was really a great feeling sitting around a campfire at night or just hanging out with "Phillip" and "Charlie" (it was hard to call them by their first names) and knowing that I was finally a grown man with a family and accepted as such by Coach Nance and Mr. Sparks. One winter we were camping and I got up early to get the campfire going and Coach was already sitting in his lawnchair and after I got my fire going he offered me a cool beverage to get the day started and so I attempted to open his cooler BUT the lid was frozen solid and after I jerked it open finally-----all the water inside the cooler was frozen solid--Coach laughed his ass off--it was about 20 degrees. That was the last weekend camping that year for us but Coach and Mr. Sparks kept going right through winter and was there in the spring when we returned. And of course Coach gave me a hard time for being such a sissy.
For those who missed the Noyes Stadium retirement party, you missed a great opportunity to see Coach Nance at his best. Looked to be in great shape and his mind was sharp as a tack. He remembered things that happened on that field and talked about it like it had only happened the week before. Living in Paris, while not seeing Coach everyday or for that matter every week, you could see him fairly regularly which some how translated in to "somehow the world is OK Coach Nance is still around"!!!! I will really miss him and am ashamed for not attempting to see and talk to him more. Somehow in my heart of hearts, I really believe Coach Nance had a special place in his heart for those of us who were honored to have played football for him and in particular the Class of 1969. He will be missed!!!!
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