Jack Sonntag

Jack William Sonntag Jr. was born October 22, 1936 in Tacoma and passed away peacefully at home on March 4, 2026. He graduated from Stadium High School and served in the Marine Corp for two years where he played on the Marine basketball and baseball teams. He attended Olympic Junior College where he was Student Body President and played basketball and baseball. He graduated from Seattle Pacific University where he played baseball. He married his high school sweetheart Betsy McBride in 1963, and they raised four wonderful children together.

Jack taught Physical Education and coached baseball, basketball, and football at Gray Jr. High, Hunt Jr. High, Stadium High School, and Foss High School where his 1975 football team won the state championship title. He served as assistant principal at Wilson High School and Foss High School, and after retirement he continued to work in the Tacoma School District as the District Athletic Director, principal of Oakland, and the Drivers' Education Coordinator. He taught and coached with dedication, discipline, and heart which positively impacted the lives of hundreds of students and athletes in the Tacoma area.

Jack loved being a husband, dad, and grandpa. His grandkids--Andy, Hannah, Ty, Noah, Mathew, Emily, Luke, Isaiah, Mason, and Natalie--were very special to him. He also enjoyed playing tennis and pickleball, working out at the YMCA, watching sports (especially football) with his friends, and traveling to Maui, Cannon Beach, and Disneyland. In 1975 he won the 1st Pierce County Decathalon Masters Division, and in 2010 he was elected to the Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame.

Jack was preceded in death by his wife Betsy, his parents Jack and Jean Sonntag, and his brother Richard. He is survived by his brother Brian, his children Susie (Bob) Crosby, Amy (Mike) Benoit, Scott (Kasha) Sonntag, and Laurie (Dan) Legard, ten grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

The Sonntag Family will be forever grateful to Dennis Omondi, Brian Muyekhera, Allan Ndei, Peter Ngugi, Samuel Kiragu, Melanie Sonneman, and Steve Lynch for their faithful help in caring for our Dad in his home.