Jack D. Fouts

The family wishes to express their utmost appreciation to the Palms of Punta Gorda and TideWell Hospice for the loving care of the Coach. Jack D. Fouts, 86, of Punta Gorda, FL passed away Thursday, March 1, 2012. He was the son of Thurman and Ruby (Hill) Fouts, born September 8, 1925 in Akron, Ohio. Upon high school graduation, Jack immediately joined the US Navy, V5 Program. He received his aviation cadet training at Milligan College, TN and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC. He enrolled at Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH, where he played football, both as a running back and defensive back. He also played basketball and baseball. Upon graduation in 1948 he married his college sweetheart, Jeanne Mayer, who preceded him in death in 1974. Jack earned his master's degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1951. His coaching career began at high school level, serving eleven years as a coach in the Ohio school system, with six seasons at Kettering Fairmont H.S. where he compiled a 38-13-3 overall record. Prior to becoming head coach at Ohio Wesleyan in 1964, Jack spent five years as offensive line coach at University of Michigan under Bump Elliot. He was the defensive line coach at Bowling Green University in 1958 before moving to Michigan. Coach Fouts enjoyed tremendous success at his alma mater, Ohio Wesleyan University in the 1960's and 70's. From 1967-71 his football team was 33-12-1 overall and won two Ohio Athletic Conference championships in addition to one second place in the O.A.C. In 1967, he was named NCAA College Division Coach of the Year for District II after he led his OWU team to an undefeated season(8-0-1-). The following year they were 8-1; winning 13 straight games from 1967-68. In 1971 Fouts directed his team to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, compiling a 9-1 overall record. Coach Fouts became the Cornell University offensive line coach in 1984 after 20 years as head coach at Ohio Wesleyan University. In April 1989, he was named the 21st head football coach of Cornell. After retiring to Florida in 1993, Fouts accepted his final head coaching position in 1994, where he coached American football in Graz Austria. His Graz Giants were 7-3 and runner up to the Vienna Vikings in the Austrian Bowl. Jack will be greatly missed by his wife of 35 years, Barbara (Greiner); children, David M. (Belinda Brown) Fouts of Cleveland, Ohio, Jill (Robert) Chappuis of Ann Arbor, MI, and John M (Nydia) Fouts of Hermosillo, Mexico; 9 grandchildren; step-children, Brooke M. (Steven Clements) Greiner of Seattle, WA, Jeffrey M. (Barbara Nolan) Greiner of Inverness, FL, Debra A Greiner of Suquamish, WA and Michael J. (Carol Bushway) Greiner of Birmingham, AL; 4 step-grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. A graveside service will be at a later date at Sarasota National VA Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to TideWell Hospice or Ohio Wesleyan University Football Program. To express condolences to the family, please sign the online guest book.