Coach Bobby Beckett of Centre passed away on Wednesday (April 13th) at the age of 75.

Beckett was widely recognized as being one of the finest coaches in the state – coaching at a number of schools including Cherokee County, Gaylesville, Collinsville, and Gadsden City, as well as Ragland, West Jefferson and Chattooga High School.

His career was highlighted by winning two State-Championships at Cherokee County High School; the Baseball State Runner up at Ragland, as an assistant Basketball State Runner up at Ragland and as football runner up as an assistant at Cherokee County High.

Coach Beckett was a part of 471 wins in football, baseball, track, boys and girls basketball.

He also helped to start or re-start baseball at Cherokee County, Ragland and Gaylesville and girls basketball at Cherokee County.  In 2009, he was elected to the Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame and the high school baseball field at Cherokee County is named after him.

Beckett was a member of the Centre First Methodist Church – and a proud Vietnam veteran, serving in 1967/68.

Funeral services will be held this Friday at 2:00pm at Centre First United Methodist Church Edge, where he will lie-in-state an hour prior to the service.

Burial will follow at Cherokee Memory Gardens.  The family will accept friends this evening (Thursday) from 5:00 – 8:00 at Perry Funeral Home.