An Arlington legend, Bob Warner Sr., passed away in late January. I was sad when I heard the news, yet part of me was glad, too, for it meant he was finally free of the ravages of Parkinson’s disease.
Mr. Warner in his prime was strong like a tank. He had a big voice but even bigger heart. Through junior high and into high school, he coached me in baseball, basketball and football, and he was a P.E. teacher besides. He loved sports and the personal qualities they instilled, and coaching was his ticket to a career spent nurturing young people and teaching them valuable life lessons. A passionate but gentle man, Coach Warner prodded not with threats or sarcasm or profanity but with encouraging words, bright eyes, and a grin as wide as a Cheshire cat’s.
For all of the time and energy and belief he invested in me, I will be eternally grateful. May he rest in peace (although, if there’s a team up there looking for a new coach, I know just the man).
Bob Wayt
Beaverton, Ore.
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