Legendary longtime football coach and mentor, Jerry Bainum lost his battle with cancer and passed away late last week at the age of 72.

Bainum spent his life teaching and mentoring many as a teacher and football coach with several stops including Centralia and Onaga, impacting multiple lives. The late coach help resurrect the Centralia football program, instilling a winning mentality on the field and off the field in the players he coached and kids he mentored as a teacher. His coaching career spanned over 40 years and included a 122-53 record at Centralia, as he retired in 2005 only to return to the sideline in 2009 at Onaga, coaching for four more years and in his last season posted a 6-4 record with the Buffalos, making the playoffs.

His coaching career had many stops as he not only coached at Centralia and Onaga, but also Wichita Collegiate, Trinity Catholic high school, Shawnee Mission West, Little River, Chanute and Fort Scott Community College.

Coach Bainum is survived by his wife Linda, four children and nine grandchildren.

A memorial service is planned for Coach Bainum this spring in Centralia. (full obituary) 

(Click here to see a tribute video to Coach Bainum)