In Memory

Coach -Thomas W. Secules

Thomas W. Secules
Date of Birth:July 1, 1937
Date of Death: April 9, 2017

 


 

Thomas William Secules, 79, passed away on Sunday, April 9, 2017, at Duke University Hospital, after a short but courageous fight against cancer. He was born on July 1, 1937, in Williamsport, PA to Philip and Virginia (Babb) Secules.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 56 years, Beth, his son, Scott and his wife Tammy, his daughter, Ann Urch and her husband Scott, and was “Pops” to his five grandchildren, Jeff, Kelsey, Becca, Tommy, and Samantha. Tom was also blessed with many dear friends who became extended family.

He graduated with a Bachelors Degree from the College of William & Mary, where he was a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity. He earned a Masters Degree from George Washington University. Following college, he proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corp. He taught and coached for over 30 years in Northern Virginia, touching the lives of many colleagues, students, and athletes.

He was an original member of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Southern Shores, NC. He served as Senior Warden, Chair of the Room In The Inn ministry and on many Stewardship Committees. He was also a member of Duck Woods Country Club for over 22 years, where he was an avid golfer and was lucky (or skilled) enough to have made an ace!

A Memorial Service to celebrate Tom’s life will be held at All Saints’ Church, 40 Pintail Trail, Southern Shores, NC 27949, on Saturday, April 29, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to All Saints’ Episcopal Church in his memory.

 

_______________

 

         THE FOLLOWING ARE COMMENTS AND MEMORIES OF COACH SECULES 

                      SUBMITTED BY THE CLASS OF 1971 AND THEIR GUESTS

(copied from message forum)

_______________

Fred Chandler

FYI

Coach Secules passed away this week after a long hard battle with cancer. I am posting a Memorial notice his daughter sent me. We will probably make the road trip on this one. Mr. Secules was an inspiration to me and one of the main reasons I finished High School.

 

Funeral Arrangements for Mr. Secules

Here is Daddy's Service Info. 
Sharing info: A Memorial Service for my Father, Tom Secules, will be Saturday, April 29th a...t 1:00 at All Saints Episcopal Church, 140 Pintail Trail, Southern Shores, NC.

We have been offered a "Secules Family Discount" at the Days Inn Mariner at Mile Post 7 - 252-441-2021 - for folks coming in that want to stay.

Our family appreciates all of your love and support.

 

(From Fred)

I imagine quite a few Alumni will attend as well as faculty and coaches.

Mr. Secules was one of the good ones. I still remember a question he had on the final exam one year.

" What color is a red rubber ball?"

I think a few people got it wrong.
 

Paul Peters

Thanks Fred!

Sam Juliano and I were texting 2 weeks ago about the coach and our memories.  It's amazing how someone who spent just a few years interacting in our lives could leave such memories.

 

Michael Guthrie

I am saddened to hear about Coach Secules. What a wonderful man. Does anyone have his obituary that could be posted?

Cathy Borland

The City of Oaks Funeral Home in Raleigh is in charge of the arrangements.  No obituary has been post as of today.  

His daughter, Ann Secules Urch as given her email address for any messages to the family.  They have greatly appreciated the support.  sajurch@hotmail.com

If you would like to send something to Mrs. Secules and the family, you can send it to:

 

Elizabeth (Beth) Secules

116 S Dogwood Trail

Kitty Hawk, NC 27949

I always felt that Coach Secules really cared about his students and atheletes.  He wanted them to succeed on and off the playing field/track.  He was an inspiration to many of us.  He will be missed by many whose lives he touched.

Hope this information will be helpful for those of use unable to travel to North Carolina.

Cathy Hall Borland 

 

John Meana

Fred, or anyone else that might be coming to Mr. Secules services. My house is very close to the Days Inn. Give me a call@ 252- 573-0919. I will be attending. He and I go back to my 7th & 8th grade. He always called me a good athlete, but a better "Goldbricker". Funny, I didn't know what it meant back then. I know right where the church is. Let me hear from you.  Thanks John Meana

Michael Guthrie

Thanks Cathy. He not only did it right at Annandale but continued to provide great coaching and caring at South Lakes High School where he was head coach. His son Scott was a really fine QB at UVA. 

 

Paul Peters

This photo was sent by Sam Juliano of Coach Secules from our Sophomore yearbook.

Sam, thank you for the photo - BTW classmates: Read Sam's submission to our talent contest. He gave us a heartfelt story of his lack of athleticism and Coah Secules (Sam and I had just recently sent me the story about the coach for submission and we exchanged memories). 

 

 
 

James Burden

I can hear him now ...

"Hey Burden, you better go back and pick-up your jock 'cause he just faked you out of it"

 

Paul Rowson

My favorite memory of coach was when we first met him. I can still hear him say, "My name is Coach Secules, not "Seck-you-leeze!"

Coach was a good person...

Edward Murphy

It was 47 years ago.  I will always remember the day I hit Coach Secules and he acted as if it was just a normal everyday occurrence.  I was the left defensive end on the varsity football team.  It was a Thursday practice before the Friday game day.  We were wearing helmets and no pads as we were not suppose to be hitting each other the day before a game.  We were practicing defending against the anticipated plays the other team might run against us.  Coach Secules got the ball and took off trying to run around my end.  Well back then I was in shape and I was fast.  I was not going to allow the Coach to get around me. He was moving fast and going to get around me.  I still remember the hit on Coach Secules.  My helmet hit him square in the chest and it was a good hard hit.  I did not mean to hit him hard but he was moving fast.  I remember thinking I hurt the Coach and I am in big trouble now.  But Coach Secules just shook it off and pretended it was no big deal.  It had to hurt!!  I always thought he was a good coach and wished I would be in as good shape as he was when I grew up.  I was always grateful he took the hit and just pretended to carry on as nothing happened.  But he never tried to run around my end again.  I have some good and bad memories of playing football at Annandale High.  But I am glad I did and remember them fondly today.  

Bill Bowen

I have strong memories of Coach Secules from PE class and two years of JV Track.  I was not very good at track and Coach Secules was the perfect coach.  He provided encouragement and guidance, but made it fairly clear that how much each of us would progress was dependent on how much effort WE chose to put into practice, not on how he coached.  And character counted with him as much as natural ability,  Many years later he is one of the teachers/coaches I remember best and most fondly.  (And I'm still running...)

Thanks to Paul and others on the website for making these memories possible and keeping us in touch.  
 

Sam Juliano

Life can be strange, indeed.  Over the years I have written snippets of a story about Coach Secules and how he did me a “solid” when I was a student at AHS.  When I filled out my biography on this website a few years back, I wrote a very condensed version of that story in response to the topic “Some of your personal great/fun Annandale stories.”  I’ve intended to flesh out that story and post it in the forum here as a tribute to Coach Secules, but kept putting it off until Paul and I discussed it a couple weeks ago.  I finished it on April 7th, just in time to submit it for the “prose” contest, and emailed it to Paul.  Of course we later learned here that Coach Secules had passed away just two days later, on April 9th.

I know Coach Secules will be remembered far more eloquently by the true athletes he influenced, many of whom went on to excel in both amateur and professional ranks.  But even to the least among us - a group to which I ascribe - he was clearly an inspiration, and for me personally, the reason for a fond memory I’ve held fast for nearly 50 years.  Rest in peace, Coach, and my sincere condolences to your family and friends.
 

Douglas Kingdom

I am very sad to hear the news of Coach Secules passing. I did not know that much about him personally until reading his obit. He was a good guy. An accomplished guy. I remember many years ago stopping by AHS when I was on leave from the Army and talking to Coach Secules outside the gym. We had a good conversation and he seemed pleased that I was an Officer in the Army and had made something of myself. He looked a little older, but was still a giant to me. I remember how he would call me "Kingmum" instead of "Kingdom", just to amuse himself. "Hey Kingmum....!"  Some of you may remember when he taught health class for the guys and covered with dead pan humor, some of the more controversial topics of the day! I never knew he was living in the OBX. I started going down there many years ago as I really enjoy surf fishing. I stay mostly in Kill Devil Hills, NC (right down the road from Southern Shores) many times a year including 2 weeks in the Fall. I pass right by his church. Had I known he was living there, I would have made a point to look him up and say hello. Somewhere I had heard he played for a stint in the NFL. Any truth to that? I know he could huck a football damn near the length of the field when he would play football with us during PE. In one way or the other, he was a mentor who touched all of us. It is fitting that we remember his life and the good things he did while on this earth! Rest easy Coach!  VR/S,  Doug Kingmum