Robert "Coach" Tackett, 88 , of North Carrollton, MS, died Friday, October 9, 2020 at his residence.  Funeral services will be held Monday at 11 a.m. with visitation 10 a.m. until service time at Carrollton Baptist Church followed by burial at Evergreen Cemetery. Rev Jack Marshall and Dr. Gary Robertson will officiate.

Coach Tackett was born in Indianola, MS, on June 12, 1932 to the late Pon Tackett and Mary Braswell Tackett.  He was a proud veteran of the Korean War, serving in the USMC Force Recon.

After graduation from Mississippi Delta Community College and Northwestern Louisiana University, where he was a member of the football hall of fame at both, he received his master's degrees at both Ole Miss and Mississippi State. He began a long and storied career as a football coach, educator, and principal with many championships in Mississippi and Tennessee. He coached at J.Z. George High School in North Carrollton for a number of years earning numerous state championships and served as principal for two years. He was the head football coach at Carroll Academy for three years where he led the football team to the 1990 Class A State Championship. He also served as principal and coached at Winona Academy and a school in Ripley, Tennessee, where football championships were earned as well. After retiring from coaching, he taught GED classes at the Carroll/ Montgomery Regional Correctional Facility, where he was awarded Mississippi Teacher of the Year.

Coach Tackett is preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, and two sisters, as well as his first wife, Mary Sue Wilson Tackett.

He is survived by his spouse of eighteen years, Elsie Tackett of North Carrollton, MS; daughters, Deborah Tackett Mitchell of Senatobia, MS, Barbara Tackett Blansett of Carrollton, MS, and Cynthia Tackett Frusha of Little Rock, AR; two sons, Robert Tackett Jr. of Mathiston, MS, and Daniel Tackett of Starkville, MS; two step children, Gene Ferris of Coffeeville, MS, and Cyndi Ferris Worhay of Spanish Fort, AL; as well as four grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

Pallbearers will be Lee Mitchell, Maghea Mitchell, Johnny Daves, Wilton Neal, Chris Reed, and Jim Pilgreen. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Lee Shartzberg, Dr. Joseph Roberts, Dr. Siebel, and former athletes he coached.

Military rites will be performed by Keesler-Hamrick-Gillespie American Legion Post 29.

Williams & Lord Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.