Jerry Coakley, a former DVC football coach, has passed away this past Friday evening, March 2,  from heart complications.

“He was an amazing football coach… and was very instrumental in our success at DVC,” said Ed Hall, who worked as head coach with Coakley.  Coakley worked as the defensive coordinator for the football program from 1983-1994.   “[The] kids loved him.”

Current head football coach, Mike Darr has fond memories of playing for Coakley, “There wasn’t a guy that played for Coach Coakley that didn’t have the utmost respect for him and not a day goes by that I don’t utilize some of the life lessons he taught me.”

Not only did he coach at DVC, he was an integral part sports in Colleges and high school all over the Bay Area where he helped student athletes succeed on and off the field.

His coaching resume includes positions at Los Medanos College, Clayton Valley High School and Mt. Diablo High School, among others.

It was at Mt. Diablo where he earned his chops as a winning coach.  He led winning teams in baseball, football and basketball and also helped with swimming.

“A man of all trades,” said Sandy Malnick, who coached and taught with Coakley at both Mt. Diablo and DVC.

Malnick remembers his ‘best friend’ as a “kinda gruff, but only to hide the kinda soft” kind of guy.  In his later years, Malnick says Coakley spent his time visiting people who he associated with in a humble way, unknown to many.

“He visited one kid he knew who had dementia and brought him See’s candy on Christmas,” said Malnick.

Coakley was born and raised in Oakland. He graduated with a degree from San Francisco State University.

The funeral service for Coakley will be held this Friday, March 9, at St. Bonaventure Church in Clayton.