Funeral will be 3:30 pm Saturday at Crestwood Chapel for Mr. L.B. Couch age 86 of Southside who died Tuesday March 10th. Pastor Carrie Jones will officiate. Burial will be in Crestwood Cemetery. Crestwood Funeral Home is in charge of services.
Mr. Couch was a 1948 graduate of Emma Sansom High where he lettered in at least three sports. He received a football scholarship to The University Of Alabama where he played in the first ever All Star Game played at Alabama. He was in the National Guard and his unit was mobilized during the Korean War and served at Fort Jackson as a troop training instructor his first year and then became a member of The Army Football team for his remaining tenure .His family moved to Ore City Texas where he started the first ever football team which was instrumental in building a stadium to accommodate it. He returned to Gadsden where he officiated Football and Basketball games for over 27 years. He is a member of The Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame, and was elected to The American Football Foundation. He was a Christian and member of Southside Methodist Church.
He is preceded in death by daughters Angela B. and Karla Couch, Parents Mark and Charley Couch 4 brothers and one sister.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years Mary Nell Couch, daughters Debby(Richie) Holcomb, Laura(Joe) Paulk and Rosemary Couch, 9 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, brothers James and Charlie(Paula) Couch.
Special thanks to Special Brother in law Gary Don Lankford and the staff of Amedisys Hospice.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home Friday Night from 6 until 8 pm