Timothy "Tim" Willard McPhail

Timothy Willard McPhail, 43, passed away on March 22, 2022 after a short battle with glioblastoma brain cancer.  Tim was a 1996 graduate of McMinn County High School.  He attended Tusculum University on a basketball scholarship where he received his bachelor’s degree in 2001 and later his master’s degree in 2006.  Coach McPhail, as many knew him, began his teaching and coaching career at McMinn County High School in 2001.  He served as the boys’ basketball assistant coach for 6 years, the head girls’ basketball coach for 14 years, volleyball coach for 6 years, football assistant coach for 6 years, and middle school football coach for 3 years.   Coach McPhail was a dedicated teacher and coach who spent his career teaching not only English but also life lessons to his students and athletes.  His hobbies included hunting, gardening, watching all sports, and working on the Arwood family farm.  Whether you knew him as McFly, Tim, Timothy, or Coach, he was a friend to everyone.
Tim is survived by his loving wife, Amy, and his two sons, Harris and Denney; mother, Anna McPhail; brother, Michael (Stephanie) McPhail; sisters, Pam (Jeff) Weir and Teresa McGill; father-in-law, Victor Arwood; brother-in-law, Blane Arwood; aunts and uncles, JW and Betty McPhail, Joe and Drena McPhail, Jim and Jan Harris, Alice Carmen; nephew, Blake Witt; nieces, Lauren McPhail and Lily Arwood; cousins, Kim (Bob) Dockery, Scott (Melissa) McPhail, Angie (Scott) Thompson, Alan (Rachel) Fair, Shannon McPhail, Jason McPhail, Jamie (Candy) Harris, Ashley (Romeo) Legaspi, Gage Ingram, Jesse Thompson, Natalie Thompson, Jordan McPhail; and special friends, Jeremy and Julie Dalton.   He is also survived by his extended family from Iowa, numerous coaches, and his colleagues, all of whom he loved dearly.
He is preceded in death by his father, Willard McPhail; mother-in-law Barbara Arwood; grandparents, Hazel and Lester McPhail, Katie and Bob Harris; aunt and uncle, Bob and Bobbie Fair; and cousin, Rob Fair.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the McMinn County High School Athletic Performance Center at www.mcsdonate.com.  Your donation would honor Coach McPhail’s love of athletics and his dedication to coaching the youth of our community.
The visitation will be at the McMinn County High School gymnasium on Saturday, April 2, starting at 1:00.  There will be stations with cards and baskets set up at the visitation and the family would love for you to use them to share a story about Coach McPhail.  The funeral with family and close friends will be at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Athens at 2:00 on Sunday April 3.
Those unable to attend may send condolences to www.laycock-hobbs.com/obituaries/Timothy-McPhail.  Laycock-Hobbs Funeral Home, Athens, TN in charge of the arrangements.