HOUSTON, Texas — Joe Tandy, 85, died Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011, at Hermann Memorial Hospital, Humble, Texas. He was born in Carrollton, Ky., on Aug. 22, 1925. He was a 1942 graduate of Cuero High School, Cuero, Texas, after which he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was a graduate of LSU with a master’s degree in education.

While at LSU, he served as manager/trainer of the basketball and baseball teams. After graduating from LSU, he moved to St. Francisville, where he spent his entire professional career with the West Feliciana Parish School System. He coached all sports and taught history in the high school from 1952-1965, when he became assistant principal, a job he held for one year. He was named principal in 1966.

In 1979, he was promoted to high school supervisor, a job he held until his retirement in 1991. To the many students whose lives he touched, he was always referred to simply as “Coach.” He was active in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association and served on the executive committee of that organization for many years. He was given the honor of being inducted into the Louisiana High School Athletic Association “Hall of Fame.”

Joe devoted his entire life to his children, the students he coached and taught, the school system and his church. He was member of Grace Episcopal Church where he served on the vestry. The entire parish was devoted to this man and, in 1994, they showed their affection by naming him “Citizen of the Year,” an honor which the Civic Club bestows on its outstanding citizens. As principal, Joe led the high school through difficult changes during the ’60s and ’70s. He was a positive person who was fair in all of his dealings with the students and the faculty.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roger Phillip and Edna Garret Tandy, as well his brother, Phillip Tandy.

He is survived by his wife, Catherine “Teri” Hossley; and his children, Tim, Cy, Jody and her husband, Roy Spradlin, Patrick and Kelly Tandy; stepchildren, Tracy Patterson and husband David Thomas and Chad Patterson and wife Kathryn; grandchildren, Ellen Summey, David Tandy, Jarrah Horne, Emily Tandy, Lydia Tandy, Natalie Thomas, Will Thomas and Jackson Patterson.

Visitation will be in Grace Episcopal Church, St. Francisville, on Saturday, Jan. 29, from 9 a.m. until the memorial service at 11 a.m. Riles Funeral Home assisted with arrangements.

Honorary pallbearers are Charles Bennett, Donald Currier, Joe Dean, Larry Foil, Wendell Hall, Al Lemoine, John McKean, Jesse Perkins, David Tandy, Henry Triplett and Joe Wells.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.