Coach Mac

Early this morning, this worldly earth lost a great man.  A father, husband, son, coach, brother, uncle & friend.  

I've only know Coach Mac 10 years, but it's felt like my whole life.  I was known to him as, "Kati B."  I have many memories with him that I want to just share for myself, for his family & for those who might have known him as well.  

He was a Chicago "Cubbies" fan, he LOVED the outdoors & God's creation, loved to duck & deer hunt & ride fourwheelers.  He was a scuba diver & loved what he did!  We used to watch CSI every Thursday together & their house during HS, when we could.  Then it turned to LOST.  We were obsessed with that show from beginning to end!  If I ever had a question about the show & didn't understand something, HE was the one I called or text to get my questions answered!  

I remember cheering at Wampus Cat football games on Friday nights while Morgan danced, he was at every game, supporting us at what we loved most, even though it wasn't his "ideal" Friday night!  

When I would spend the night over there weekends on end during the winter, he didn't like to turn the heat on! I am VERRRRY cold natured, & would be in UGGS, two pairs of sweatpants, t-shirt, hoodie, ear muffs, gloves & wrapped in a blanket laying on the floor watching a movie & they would just laugh at me!

When Mackenzie was little, we would always get in trouble for being too loud in the middle of the night. We were lucky when Mama D would come in there & tell us to be quiet & not Coach Mac!  :P  

He could make some KILLER deer steaks & "deer camp fries"!  YUMM-MY!  If he was cooking that for dinner one night, you better believe I got a text during the day inviting me over for dinner!  Even to this day, I would still get the invite!  The last time he cooked for us was Dec. 6th.  We had gone to Bethlehem & then ran back over there to eat dinner.  Punkin' LOVES his fries & would sit there & eat them until I stopped giving them to him!

Coach Mac used to be a professional tennis player.  I don't remember all the details, but I think he played doubles with someone...they traveled the country playing in tournaments.  His partner got engaged, & wasn't going to play any more, so Coach Mac quit too!  :P

I remember him telling me his was Pre Med at UCA, & had taken an English class with a professor he really liked.  He liked him so much, he just kept taking his classes every semester.  After a few semesters, they told him he might as well major in English!  Ha!  

It's still surreal & hard for me to believe & take in that all this is happening.  He was too young & healthy.  He had retired just 11 short days ago from teaching school.  This is something that he was SO happy about & had been counting down the days & hours untill freedom!  :P

{This was taken this past Easter after church, & I am SO glad that I have this picture.}

I am so glad that my Punkin' got to meet & know him, even if it wasn't for near long enough.  I remember telling Coach Mac & Ms. Doreen that I felt like they would be Ryder's "third" set of grandparents.  And they were.  It took Ryder a while to warm up to Coach Mac (just b/c I think he's a male) the first few times we went over there, but then one night he wouldn't stop giving Coach Mac kisses!  He would sit on his lap in the chair, or sit right beside him on the fire place while a nice warm fire was going inside.  We would tell Punkin' "hot" so he knew not to get to close, but he wanted to be JUST like Coach Mac & sit there on the edge!  :P

Coach Mac was the first one to ever let Ryder blow a duck call!  Once he let him have it, Ryder wouldn't give it up the entire night!  

He would take Ryder out into his "man garage" to look at the four wheelers & to feed "Drake dog", his chocolate lab.  

I remember going to the dive shop just to play around in the pool with scuba gear on with him, Morgan & Mackenzie.  That's the closest to "scuba diving" I ever got.  I had always planned on taking lessons from him one day & getting certified so I could travel some where neat & get to scuba dive.  I wouldn't want to learn from anyone else.  He knew everything about the sport, & I wouldn't trust anyone else with my life under water. 

He always supported me, not matter what was going on in my life, & the things I had done.  I could talk to him & Ms. Doreen like they were my own parents, & I had known them my whole life.  He paid for my wedding cake at my wedding.  That was such a thoughtful & meaningful gift to me, & it had been all his idea.  I have a great picture of us from that day, but not on a digital file.  :/

Coach Mac LOVED his TV shows!  I can't even begin to name all of them, but he was truly religious to watching ALL of them, & I don't know how he did it without DVR!  :P

He was a great step-dad to my dear friend {even though it didn't even feel like he was her "step dad"} & I hope & pray that if Ryder ever has a step dad, that he is at least half as great of a dad to him that Coach Mac was to Morgan.  

As Ms. Doreen said it best, "He was doing what he loved most, with who he loved most."

This is the first passing I've had to deal with that wasn't a family member & wasn't someone that was "old" & "supposed" to die.  {If that makes sense?}  It's not fair, & we'll never understand here on Earth, but I believe he's in a better place & will watch Mackenzie grow up to be a beautiful young woman, Morgan marry the man of her dreams, & Punkin' become a duck hunter just like him!

He wasn't my dad, or my husband, but I.will.miss.him.  He always had my back.  No matter what.

The last few times I've had throat problems, he has brought me a strawberry milkshake from McDonalds.  I'll never have another without thinking about him.  

He had so many stories, & life lessons me & Punkin' could have still heard & learned from.  

He always took care of "his girls" no matter how crazy we were driving him.  He put up with a lot, being stuck in a house full of ALL girls!  :P

This is all.

Coach Mac, we love you & will forever miss you, knowing you 10 years wasn't long enough.