Coach Tom Clary's Obituary
Thomas Lowe Clary, Jr., age 93, of Memphis, TN, died on May 25, 2019. He was born in Atlanta, Ga., to the late Thomas Lowe and Ione Mitchell Clary on March 7, 1926. In his formative years, “Tommy,” as his family and friends referred to him, grew up in Atlanta and attended Boys’ High, before serving in the United States Navy during World War II. Following his military service, Tommy graduated from North Georgia College. He then embarked on a 40 year career in secondary education, where he served as a teacher, coach and administrator. From 1949 to 1959, Coach Clary taught and coached at Robert E. Lee High School in Thomaston, Ga., Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur, Ga., and Murray County High School in Chatsworth, Ga. He then served as a teacher, coach, and athletic director at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, Tenn., from 1959 to 1969 and Memphis Catholic High School in Memphis from 1969 to 1975. He returned to Atlanta and served as an assistant principal and principal for the DeKalb County School System at Avondale and Towers High Schools from 1975 to 1988. At the age of 62, Coach retired to Belleair Beach, FL. In retirement, he enjoyed golfing at the Belleview Biltmore Golf Club, hosting family and friends at the beach, and an occasional outing to a local casino. He returned to Memphis in 2016 to be with family. Tommy married the late Mary Louise “Louisa” Troncalli in 1949. Louisa died in 1975. In addition to Louisa, he was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Betty Clary and Eleanor Clary Webster. He is survived by his brother, Don Clary (Gail) of Greensboro, Ga. and by his four children, Lynda Clary-Burke (Billy) of Covington, Ga. and Cindy Clary Kramer, Mike Clary (Nancy), and Thomas “Tinker” Clary, all of Memphis. He is also survived by six grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, nieces and a nephew. The family will remember Coach Tom Clary in a Celebration of Life at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, at Rhodes College in Memphis. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Arrangements by Memorial Park Funeral Home & Cemetery.
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