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Mr. Jacob Carmack "Cowboy" Range b. 23 Dec 1914 - Johnson City, TN d. 13 Jan 1980 - Newport News, VA
Milligan
College, B. A. Physical
Education, Varsity Football Coach, Jr. Varsity Basketball Coach, |
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| "Head Coach J. C. Range and Backfield Coach 'Pete' Robinson go over last minute strategy with fullback Don Hardy ('58) and halfback Woody Hudson ('57)." | |||
| 1951 Anchor, p. 78 | 1957 Anchor, p. 13 | 1957 Anchor, p. 127 | 1957 Anchor, p. 67 |
| 12/19/16 | 05/17/04 | 05/17/04 | 06/04/04 |
"YOU'RE THE GREATEST"
"It is our privilege as the graduating seniors of 1958 to
dedicate our yearbook to a man who has devoted |
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| 1958 Anchor, p. 3 | |||
| 06/04/04 | |||
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| Daily Press, Monday, January 14, 1980 | Daily Press, Tuesday, January 15, 1980 |
Monday, October 10, 2005,
12:43 PM Peninsula Memorial Park |
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Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 10/10/05 |
Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64)
of VA - 10/10/05 |
Image by Dave Spriggs ('64)
of VA - 10/10/05 |
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| WOWZERONI!!! Thanks so much, Dave! | |||
Few people have
affected my life more than Coach Range.
While I lacked weight, strength and skills to be competitive at Football,
he and Coach Pete Robinson permitted me to play 8th & 9th Grade football, and
one year of Junior Varsity Football.
My contribution to the team was minimal but they permitted me to be a part of
the team when it was so important in my life.
As important as this was to me during those early years, his mentoring and
teaching later had
an even more profound effect on my life, for the lessons he taught were by his
example.
He and Marvin Turley hired me as a Life Guard at the
World War II Memorial
Municipal Swimming Pool.
Little did they know how important that job was, since my dear father had
undergone surgery in Charlottesville
for throat cancer, and had been unable to work at his job in the Shipyard for
over 6 months.
This job met a family need, and was a great opportunity for me to grow and learn
to accept responsibility.
(Looking back, he knew our situation, but never discussed it).
Most mornings, he picked me on Huntington Avenue where we lived, and took me to
work.
After three years working as a Life Guard and Swimming Instructor, and having
graduated from NNHS in 1957,
this was my transition to the real world, without a change in lifestyle.
We did earn our salary as Life Guards, and on one occasion I was on duty when a
young girl
started drowning in the deepest part of the pool. She was nearest to my chair,
so I responded.
After pulling her to the side of the pool,
Nancy Keesee helped me get her out of
the water, and I began Artificial Respiration.
After a few seconds, she came around, and emptied her stomach to my delight.
Little did I know, but her parents went to Coach Range and offered a full
scholarship to VMI for me,
but Coach had promised not tell me who was providing such a gift or even why.
Coach was aware that I could not attend college, and had already enlisted in the
Marines,
but while we were taking down the tarps, to close the pool,
he quietly told me that an anonymous donor wanted to provide me with a college
education,
and they knew I loved Virginia Military Institute.
He never divulged the identify of the donor, but years later he told me of the
event that lead to the offer.
This generous offer touched me so, for I had no idea anyone would do such a
wonderful thing for another person.
My disappointment arose from not having the grades to enter VMI.
But the generosity shown in the offer was one of the greatest lessons of my
life.
Sometimes, I still wonder if it wasn't really Coach Range who was willing to
help me financially to get a college education,
or he might have suggested to the parents of a need when they expressed a desire
to say "Thank You".
That is real love, in living color.
-
Joe Madagan ('57) of FL - 06/04/04
What a beautiful story! Thanks, Joe!
Coach J.C. "Cowboy" Range was my very first
boss!
Actually it was 1972 and he was in the room with Dick Tyson and Bob Ascher and
interviewed
me for the Dr Education department at the Newport News School Board. My
immediate boss was George "Dick" Tyson,
but Cowboy & Bob Ascher and Mrs. Williams all worked in Dr Ed/ P.E. & Health. I
was just a 17 year old VOT student
but had that job the end of 11th grade and all summer and all of 12th. I loved
them all. It was such a positive first-job
experience. I think I would have stayed but my brother had convinced me that
Smithdeal-Massey in Richmond was the
business school I should go to... (it's out of business now!) But, anyway,
Cowboy was so witty - as were Dick and Bob too.
He recognized my last name during the interview and recalled my brother (Steve
Kiger - '66 - of VA)
played basketball at NNHS.
That helped! He will always be fondly remembered.
- Gail Kiger
Bonsey (Ferguson HS - '73) of OR - 01/26/05
Thanks, Gail!
J. C. "Cowboy" Range, another NNHS football legend - I was fortunate enough to know him but not really play for him.
- Joe Wingo
('65) of NC - 05/02/05
Thanks, Joe!
I have been
trying to learn when Coach J.C. "Cowboy" Range passed away,
for one subscriber to the newsletter said he is in a nursing home, and another
recalled
he had passed away. I have spent a few minutes searching, but have not found
anything....
- Joe Madagan
('57) of FL - 10/10/05
Thanks for the nudge, Joe!
Joe,
If his first name was Jacob, then he died in NN in 1980, per the SSDI.
Name
JACOB RANGE 23 Dec 1914
- Dave Spriggs
('64) of VA - 10/10/05
Thanks, Dave!
Thanks, Dave:
That is the Coach! Jacob was his first name. He told me his middle name once,
but told me not to repeat it and I immediately forgot it not wishing to offend
him.
Of course, everyone knew him by his popular nickname of "Cowboy".
I was using the Social Security Index on Family Tree Maker, which is supposed to
be
current to 1992 ??? You apparently found it on line today, and it is very much
appreciated.
- Joe Madagan
('57) of FL - 10/10/05
Thanks again, Joe!
Hi Dave:
Thanks for sharing the information regarding the late Coach..... The grave
marker jumped
out at me because it helped me to recall his middle name from about 1955 or 1956
when he
shared it with me and asked me not to share it for he was very sensitive about
his name,
including Jacob. Of course, he loved his "nickname" and almost everyone called
him "Cowboy",
except for the students...at least not to his face.
The reason it jumped out and jarred me so, my grandson in Overland Park, Kansas
is named
John Carmack Hubbel.
My daughter gave him the middle name after her husband's grandmother's maiden
name.
Thanks, again Cap'n Dave.
- Joe Madagan ('57) of FL - 10/10/05
Thanks once more, Joe!
Coach Range was a fine person. When I came to
NNHS
in 1950 from 8 years at St. Vincent School, he
was my JV basketball
coach. He was an absolutely wonderful person inside and out and a
hard-working
man. We bonded and he is the one who encouraged me to play
football and I finally went out in the
11th grade, playing 2 years of
varsity football. I remember my senior year, I hurt my knee in the last
scrimmage before our first game and he was at my home in my bedroom 3 or
4 days while I was down.
That is the kind of man he was. He cared for
each and everyone of us. We became good friends
and he taught me how to
grow English boxwoods and I still have them today. I went by his house
when he was sick and had a very nice visit. He had written me letters
in the past telling me how
proud he was of his old student. Truly I
know he's in Heaven because he was a mighty good person.
He was witty
also. He always got lost driving us to Norfolk and he put the name
"Bird" on Glenn Nelson
and Glenn is still called that today. Glenn had
glasses when he played basketball with a cage over them
and Coach Range
said he looked like a big bird in a cage.
Thanks for asking me to write something about Coach Range. It was
certainly my pleasure.
Best regards, Mickey
- Mickey Marcella ('54) of VA - 10/11/05
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Mickey!
Coach Range’s widow still lives in Riverside on
Parkway Drive behind my dad.
Her name is Irene and she is in her 80’s and in good health.
- Steve Pullen ('65) of VA - 10/11/05
Thanks, Steve! Dave Spriggs ('64 - of VA) had told me that Mrs. Range still
resided in Newport News,
and I failed to mention it except to Joe Madagan ('57 - of FL). OOOPS.
Great stuff.
Coach Range was a wonderful man. I remember interviewing him and his wife
before the annual NNHS-HHS Thanksgiving Football Game one year. I had been at
the
Times-Herald for about 2 years. Such wonderful memories. We are so fortunate
to have been
students at NNHS with such great people -- fellow students and teachers.
- Harry Covert
('57) of VA - 10/11/05
Thanks, Harry!
Hi, Carol:
..... My daughter, Sharon Madagan Hubbel (mother of my aforementioned grandson,
John Carmack Hubbel),
called, and she visited the website at my invitation, and was blown away by the
possibility that
Coach Range may be related to her husband. She is gathering more information,
since the
Carmack Family settled in Bristol, VA / Bristol, TN and some of the family moved
to Johnson City, TN.
It is exciting to think of the possibilities a this point.
- Joe Madagan ('57) of FL - 10/11/05
WOWZERS! Thanks, Joe!
When I took life
saving classes with Coach Range at the pool, he'd have
us tread water for a long time and then
ask if we were tired. When some bozo would say he was, Coach would tell us we'd
just earned another 10 minutes.
His point was that you didn't gain endurance until you pushed through your wall
of fatigue. And he was right.
So are all the writers of anecdotes of the man. He was great too.
- Kathy Pilgrim
Clark ('63) of VA - 10/12/05
Thanks, Kathy!
Home on the Range
*Traditional American Folk Song*
O give me a home where the buffalo roam
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
CHORUS:
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
"Home on the Range" lyrics courtesy of http://www.lyricsxp.com/lyrics/h/home_on_the_range_traditional.html - 06/04/04
"Home on
the Range" midi (sequenced by Barry Taylor)
courtesy of
http://www.laurasmidiheaven.com/International/WorldMusicAmerican.shtml - 06/04/04
Spinning Football clip art courtesy of http://www2.bc.edu/~olivieri/ - 06/23/08