A. Wallace Hood

A. Wallace Hood, 82 of Sebring passed away on Friday morning, April 28, 2017 at Salem Regional Medical Center. He was born on February 11, 1935 in Cleveland, Ohio to the late A. Nelson and Ella (Pease) Hood. After graduating from Mentor High School, Wally attended Ohio Wesleyan University where he participated in football and baseball. He received his degree in Health and Physical Education and a Minor in History in 1957. His education continued at Kent State where he earned his Master’s Degree. He also has a specialist degree in Driver’s Education.

His teaching career began where he started at Mentor Schools teaching Social Studies, coaching football and serving as baseball head coach. This was the beginning of a 45-year career in education and coaching. Wally taught and coached football for Ashland, Olmstead Falls, Defiance and Cuyahoga Falls School Systems, and served as Head Coach for the last three. He then moved to college coaching, being hired by his former high school coach, Lee Tressel, at Baldwin-Wallace College. He moved on to Colgate University and in 1974 he became a professor and head football coach at Ohio Northern University and continued to Fairmont State College, Front Royal and Kenyon College. He finished his illustrious career at Otterbein College in 2002.  Hood has been awarded coach of the year in 1959, 1982, 1988 and 2002 and thus elected to the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2008.

He has served as President of the Ohio Athletic Conference Football, President of the West Virginia Conference Football Coaches and named National President of the NAIA Football Coaches. In 2012 Wally became trustee of the Board of the Wilson Sporting Goods Museum and was recently honored by his induction into the Mentor High School Hall of Fame. After moving to Copeland Oaks Retirement Community, he has been active as President of the Villa Association, member of the Employee Christmas Fund Committee, and host of the local TV monthly sports program. He has been part of the Copeland Oaks Golf Tournament fundraiser and the Physical Plant Committee.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years Irma (Carlson) Hood whom he married January 1, 1958 of Sebring, his three sons; Lee (Priscilla) Hood of Alliance, Jeff (Diane) Hood of Van Wert, Ohio and Jay (Renee) Hood of Greencastle, Indiana.  He is also survived by a sister Kristina Hood of LaBelle, Florida and his grandchildren Natalie (Cody) LeMay, Jacob Hood, Kayla Hood, Bryce Hood and Blake Hood.

Wally was a man of faith and optimism, a good fellow who loved interacting with people and seldom at a loss for words. He was an active member of the Sebring United Methodist Church and especially enjoyed the role of liturgist. Many knew him for his love for the game of golf and its birthplace, Scotland. He greatly treasured his family, they were the center of his care and affections. The title Grandpa made him proudest of all.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1:30PM on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at the Alliance First Christian Church, 1141 West Beech Street, Alliance, OH 44601. Memorial contributions can be made in Wally’s honor to the Life Care Fund at Copeland Oaks Foundation, 715 Johnson Rd. Sebring, OH 44672 or the Sebring United Methodist Church, 126 West Indiana Avenue, Sebring, OH 44672.  Friends may send condolences and sign the guest register online at www.grfuneralhome.com.  Arrangements are by Gednetz-Ruzek-Brown Funeral Home, Sebring, OH (330) 938-2526.

 Service Information