GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University athletic family mourns the passing of Sports Hall of Famer Jack Kilday. Kilday, who was an outstanding alum and loyal supporter of the Pioneers, passed away on Saturday (Feb. 17) at the age of 88.
The 1957 Tusculum graduate was an outstanding basketball and baseball student-athlete and was a member of the 1956 Smokey Mountain Athletic Conference championship basketball team. He lettered on the basketball hardwood from 1955-1957 and on the collegiate baseball diamond during the 1956 and 1957 seasons.
He was a longtime educator, coach, principal, farmer, outdoorsman and sportsman. Jack and his wife Nancy, who were married for 66 years, were longtime members of the Pioneer Club and enthusiastic supporters of Tusculum University and its students. Nancy was a valuable employee of the University and served for over 30 years as an administrative assistant with Tusculum's academic support services.
He was inducted to the Tusculum Sports Hall of Fame in 1989 and later was the recipient of the University's Sports Benefactor Award.
Josh Ealy, Tusculum director of athletics, described Jack as an avid supporter of the Black & Orange and a true Christian gentleman. "Jack loved Tusculum very much and it showed. He was a wonderful story-teller, especially of his memories as a student-athlete, his Tusculum friends and the coaches and administrators who touched his life in some way. He was a proud and generous supporter of his alma mater and he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nancy and the entire Kilday family."
In his younger years, he was a talented pitcher for the local semi pro Magnavox baseball team which made several trips to the National Baseball Congress Tournament in Wichita, Kansas throughout the 1960's.
He also earned his Master's degree from Union College and later his EDS from East Tennessee State University.
He is remembered as a fiercely competitive girls' and boys' basketball coach at Chuckey-Doak, North Greene, Ottway, and Doak Elementary Schools. He was inducted as a Chuckey-Doak High School Knight of Legend. Following his 25 years teaching and coaching, he continued his career in supervisory roles as assistant principal and principal of Chuckey-Doak High School.
He was a member of Army Reserve from 1957-1963 and served in the United States Army Artillery Division.
Jack is survived by his wife Nancy Self Kilday, his two daughters and their spouses: Kim and Chris Dixon, Pam Kilday and Daphney Glass; two grandchildren: Ben and Kristen Dixon; a sister: Carol Kilday Jones; a sister-in-law: Virginia Self Waddell; one niece: Lori Ann and Russell Renner; one nephew Eric and Amanda Waddell; two great nieces: Emma Kate Waddell, Emily (Bronson) Dean; one great nephew: Brandon (Cabriella) Waddell; and one great, great nephew Grady Dean. Extended family: Vanessa Calabrese, James McAfee, Steve Painter, Bobby (Meredith) Broyles, Jimmy (Jeanne) Sauceman.
Visitation will be 2-7 p.m. this Tuesday (Feb. 20) at Jeffers Funeral Chapel in Afton. The funeral service will be Wednesday (Feb. 21) at 1 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with the interment to follow in Fairview CP Cemetery.
