LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — On a hot July evening, hundreds filed into the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Blakely to say goodbye to a man who was a father, educator and coach.
"As a cousin of Jack's I can tell you that I am not surprised with the amount of people here," said cousin Mary Rinaldi. "He wasn't just loved in my hometown of Dunmore, he was loved in our region and even beyond that."
Former Dunmore high school football coach, Jack Henzes passed away earlier this week at the age of 87.
Leaving behind memories that Dunmore high school graduate and former all-state defensive lineman, Tim Drewes says he'll never forget.
"Coach use to drop off Christmas gifts at my house when I was a young boy, I'd wake up Christmas morning and there'd be a package from Santa Henze's which I loved every year," said Drewes. "It was always Dunmore football gear."
Drewes had been learning from Coach Henzes for more than 20 years.
Taking the lessons, he was taught on the field and applying them to succeed in everyday life.
"You know he taught me how to drive which I'm a good driver because of him," said Drewes. "He would give the shirt off his back to anyone."
"Doing things the right way was a big thing for Jack Henzes, so for our area it's a gigantic loss and for such a great man to not be with us anymore it's sad, it's a very sad day," said Assistant football coach at mid valley George Pachucy.
Henzes, who retired with the third most wins in Pennsylvania high school football history was never afraid to go out of his way and help other athletes said Pachucy, even if they took the field for an opposing team.
"I was getting recruited by a school and I needed a pair of shoulder pads for camp and I went to Scranton prep and hours weren't back in yet he took me to Dunmore's equipment shed and fitted himself for pair shoulder pads," said Pachucy. "He said if yours aren't back by the season and you'll like them, you can keep them the entire year and I think we played them like three or four."