LAFAYETTE, La. — John Donald Alonzo Sr. died Friday, Oct. 10, 2008, at Lafayette Heart Hospital. He was 78.

Mr. Alonzo was a native of Mobile, Ala., where he graduated in 1948 from McGill Catholic High School. He was awarded a football scholarship to the University of Southern Mississippi.

He coached and taught at Cathedral Catholic High School in Natchez, Vidalia High School in Vidalia, La., and St. Aloysius High School in Vicksburg. In 1997, he retired from Acadiana High School in Lafayette, having coached there for 20 years.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Reynolds T. Alonzo Sr. and Myrtle Chamblin Alonzo; two brothers, Reynolds T. Alonzo Jr. and Frank O. Alonzo; and one stepson, Joel Freeman.

Mr. Alonzo is survived by his wife of 38 years, Rose “Sissy” Alonzo; nine children, Lisa McFatter of Port Gibson, John D. Alonzo Jr. of Oxford, Angie Wright of Fairhope, Ala., Terry Alonzo of St. Petersburg, Fla., Phillip J. Alonzo of Vicksburg, Christopher Alonzo of San Antonio, Texas, and Thomas V. Alonzo, Melanie Costas and Mary Nell Newman, all of Ridgeland; three stepchildren, Larry Freeman of Tacoma, Wash., Angela Muse of Lafayette and Pamela Curtis of Tupelo; two sisters, Ann A. Cowley of Fairhope and Maureen A. Allen of Huntsville, Ala.; one brother, Tom Alonzo of Orange Beach, Ala.; 22 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Services were at 11 a.m. Sunday at La Chapelle de Martin & Castille in Lafayette with the Rev. Louis Allen Breaux, associate pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church in Breaux Bridge, La., officiating. Burial was at Indian Bayou Methodist Cemetery in Indian Bayou, La.