Marion "Coach" Fruge Sr.

Marion Fruge, Sr. passed away on Friday, May 30, 2025 at the age of 89. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at St. Anthony's with Father Hampton Davis Celebrant. Entombment will follow in St. Paul Mausoleum.
At the request of family, visitation will be held at Quirk & Son from 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM on Monday, June 2, 2025. There will be a Rosary at 6:00 PM by Deacon Gary Gaudin and the Catholic Daughters Court 208. Visitation will resume at 8:00 AM on Tuesday until time of departure for Services.
Marion Fruge was known as "Coach Frug" to many in Eunice since he coached most of his adult life. He had a love for kids, both teaching and coaching them.
He attended elementary school until third grade at Martel Memorial School, which is now St. Edmund Elementary. He completed his elementary through high school years at St. Edmund, graduating high school in 1954. He served six months in the National Guard in 1960.
He attended LSU in 1956, but withdrew because of the death of his mother. He later obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1960 from SLI in Lafayette. He minored in Languages Specialties and later received his Masters from McNeese, as well as a Masters +30 in Administration Supervision from LSU.
His plan was to become a lawyer, but instead, he met the love of his life, Sally, and they were married on September 2, 1960.
He coached at St. Edmund from 1961 to 1973 and was assistant principal and school counselor during his career there. While employed at St. Edmund, he worked at Acadiana Bank every summer as a cashier to supplement his income while raising a family of five children.
From 1960-1964, he did volunteer work for the recreation department in Eunice. He also umpired, with no pay. In 1964 he became the city's recreation director while still coaching at St. Ed's.
From 1973 until 1981, he left teaching and worked at Manuel Trucking & Equipment Company as a sales manager and vice president. Then from 1981 to 1984 he taught French and English while coaching junior high and high school football and track.
He taught French to third and fourth graders at Highland and Glendale Elementary. His flare on teaching French was different because rather than focusing on Parisian style French, he placed the focus on keeping the Cajun-French language and culture alive. His impact of upwards of 215 students at both schools each year was obvious. He also taught Driver's Education for many years at Eunice High School.
In 1989 he began making his lasting impact on Eunice High Athletics in both football and track, including district and state title challenges. As a Eunice High Athletic Hall of Fame coach, his life was educating and inspiring both students and athletes throughout Evangeline, Acadia and St. Landry Parishes for nearly six decades. It was coaching that brought him his greatest pleasure. Impact, at the end of the day, is measured in multiple ways. But, perhaps the biggest measure of his impact was the return of the gratitude he felt for all he did.
Marion is survived by his wife, Sally Bidstrup Fruge; three sons, Marion "Mac" Fruge, Jr. (Cathy), Fred Fruge (Richlyn), Chris Fruge (Virginia);; two daughters, Anna Mosbroker (Daly), Charese Fruge; twelve grandchildren, Andrew, Andrea', Jacque (Layne), Vivian, Drake, Krystian, Chase, John Hansen, Laura, Kate, Mark, Anna Grace; five great-grandchildren, Wells, Jack, Ana, River and Ella.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred and Adia Ashford Fruge.
Pallbearers will be Andrew, Jacque, Drake, Chase, John Hanson and Mark.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either Eunice High School athletics or St. Edmund High School athletics in honor of Coach Fruge.