Jack Prentiss Bairnsfather
Published 1:33 pm Thursday, February 2, 2023
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Jan. 8, 1933 – Jan. 31, 2023
MONTEREY – Jack Prentiss Bairnsfather, 90, of Monterey, passed away on Jan. 31, 2023. He was born Jan. 8, 1933, in Monterey, to Hartwell Marion and Mary Virginia Bairnsfather. Visitation will be held Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, at Monterey Church of Christ (6508 Hwy. 129) from 5 until 8 p.m. Funeral services will be Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, at Monterey Church of Christ at 10 a.m. with Bro. Jason Sparks officiating. Interment will follow the services at Magnolia Cemetery in Monterey.
He was an employee of the Concordia Parish School Board for 41 years. He served as a coach, and teacher, and for the last five years of his career as principal at Monterey High School. He was in his 50-plus year serving as the Monterey Recreation District #2 supervisor. Since his retirement, he has continued to support all athletics at Monterey High School. As a result of his dedication and years of service, he was recently honored at the grand opening of the new Monterey High School Jack Bairnsfather gymnasium. He was able to attend the very first game played in the new facility. Black River Co-op has been his first morning stop for many years so he could drink coffee, get the Monterey gossip and provide wisdom to the co-op crew.
He helped mold and guide the lives of many through his teaching, coaching, and Christian example. Many of his former students and players would let him know how much he influenced their lives. In 2022, he was a finalist for Concordian of the Year. Some of his top accomplishments during his coaching years were: Lead the Wolves to three back-to-back district baseball titles and a state runner-up in 1962, 7 district basketball titles and 8 runner-up titles, Coach of the year in 1982 – Class A, B, and C, coached the Louisiana All-StarEast Basketball team in 1983, Named Mr. Basketball for Louisiana High School Basketball Association in 1998, inducted into the Louisiana High School Coaches’ Hall of Fame in 2003, and overall record 619 wins and 474 losses.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Betty Crane Bairnsfather; his son, Guy Marion Bairnsfather, and his brother, H.F. Bairnsfather.
He leaves behind his son, Joe Bairnsfather, and his wife Debbie of Monterey; his daughter, Jill Britt, and her husband, Jeff of Monterey; three grandchildren, Guylan Brown and husband, Chase; Ellen Upton and husband, Caleb; and Elliot Britt and wife Makayla; nine great-grandchildren, Easton and Mary Michael Britt, Jackson and William Brown, Addison, Ryder, and Sawyer Smith, Mollie Best, Jeanie Grace Willis, and a host of nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Elliot Britt, Caleb Upton, Chase Brown, Jeff Bairnsfather, Red Tiffee, Henry King, Everett Poole, and Richard Griffing.
Honorary Pallbearers will be his great-grandsons, former ballplayers, and his morning co-op crew.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Monterey Church of Christ, P.O. Box 400 Monterey, LA 71354, or the Monterey Wolf Pack Booster Club, P.O. Box 155 Monterey, LA 71354, or Paypal @WolfPackBoosterClub.