A longtime Tacoma coach and educator who helped shape generations of student-athletes and led Foss High School to a state football title has died at age 89.
Jack Sonntag Jr., a Tacoma native and respected figure in local athletics, passed away at home Wednesday, March 4, according to his obituary.
Sonntag is best known for his decades of work in the Tacoma School District, where he coached football, baseball, and basketball while also serving in leadership roles across multiple schools.
He led Foss High School’s football team to a state championship in 1975, cementing his legacy as one of Tacoma’s most accomplished high school coaches.
Throughout his career, Sonntag taught physical education and coached at Gray Junior High, Hunt Junior High, Stadium High School, and Foss High School. He later served as assistant principal at Wilson and Foss high schools.
Even after retiring, Sonntag remained active in education, working as the district’s athletic director, serving as principal at Oakland, and overseeing the driver’s education program.
Those who knew him say his approach to coaching and teaching left a lasting impact.
“He taught and coached with dedication, discipline, and heart which positively impacted the lives of hundreds of students and athletes in the Tacoma area,” reads his obituary.
Lifelong Tacoma Roots
Born Oct. 22, 1936, in Tacoma, Sonntag graduated from Stadium High School before serving two years in the US Marine Corps, where he played basketball and baseball.
He later attended Olympic Junior College, where he served as student body president and continued competing in sports.
Sonntag went on to graduate from Seattle Pacific University, where he played baseball.
In 1963, he married his high school sweetheart, Betsy McBride. The couple raised four children together.
Honored Career, Lasting Legacy
Sonntag’s contributions to athletics extended beyond coaching.
In 1975, he won the Pierce County Decathlon Masters Division. Decades later, in 2010, he was inducted into the Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame.
Family members say he was deeply devoted to his role as a husband, father, and grandfather.
He is survived by his four children, 10 grandchildren, and extended family members.
Sonntag was preceded in death by his wife, Betsy, as well as his parents and brother.
“The Sonntag Family will be forever grateful to Dennis Omondi, Brian Muyekhera, Allan Ndei, Peter Ngugi, Samuel Kiragu, Melanie Sonneman, and Steve Lynch for their faithful help in caring for our Dad in his home,” the family said in a statement.
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