Philip "Coach" Rountree

Philip Rountree Philip Rountree (aka "Coach") of Chipley, Fla. died on Sunday, March 30, 2008 at Flowers Hospital in Dothan, Ala. He was 84. Services will be held on Thursday April 3 at First Baptist Church of Chipley at 2 p.m. EDT, followed by a short graveside. Visitation will be at Brown's Funeral Home Chapel on Brickyard Road on Wednesday April 2 from 5 to 8 p.m. EDT. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First Baptist Church of Chipley or the Washington County Public Library. Rountree, who was born in Chipley June 28, 1923, served in the Army from 1943 to 1945 during World War II - he was stationed in the Philippines and Japan and achieved the rank of captain. He was also a charter member of the Chipley National Guard Unit and retired as a Captain in 1963. He married Constance Coleman Rountree in 1943, and they had a son, Philip Redus Rountree. Rountree had a career in education that spanned 56 years. He graduated from Chipley High School in 1941 and attended the University of Florida for one year before joining the Army. When he returned home, Rountree enrolled at Florida State University. There he was co-captain and quarterback of the Seminoles' first football team in 1947 - completing the first pass in school history. Rountree graduated from FSU in 1948 and returned to Chipley High School. There, he served as Athletic Director and coached the Tigers' baseball, basketball and football teams from 1949 through 1953 - compiling a record of 37-10-3 in football and 75-35 in basketball. He served as the first principal of Kate M. Smith Elementary School in Chipley from 1954 to 1967 before being hired as a consultant by the Florida Department of Education. While working with DOE, Rountree supervised a model recreation program at Melrose Elementary School in Columbia County that received national recognition. He also wrote the concept for the Commissioner of Education Student Recognition Awards Program, which recognizes students' achievements in total fitness. He also served on the committee that developed the first Florida Coaches Manual produced by the Department of Education. He retired as DOE Program Administrator for Area I (Escambia to Taylor counties) in 1995. In 2000, he was inducted into the FHSSA Hall of Fame. In 2006, the Chipley High School Football field was re-named Philip Rountree stadium in his honor. Rountree was also an active member in his church, the First Baptist Church of Chipley, and served as a Deacon and Superintendent of Sunday School for many years. He is survived by his son, Redus Rountree (and wife Cynthia) of Cottondale, Fla.; two granddaughters, Reda Ann Rountree (and husband Daniel Gill) of Los Angeles, CA and Renae Rountree of Chipley, Fla.; two great-granddaughters, Grace and Ann Elise Gill; his brother John; first cousins Jack Campbell and Flo Chase; four nephews, William Rountree of Atlanta, Ga., Philip Rountree of Tampa, Fla., Phil Shoemaker and Chris Shoemaker of Tallahassee, Fla.; and one niece, Kathy Carlile of Heathrow, Fla. Rountree was preceded in death by his loving wife Connie and his brother Andy, and his nephew, Wesley Shoemaker.