Wayne Thomas Counts

Wayne Thomas Counts, 77, of Morris passed away on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at St. Vincent’s East Hospital. Wayne was a devoted husband and loving father. He married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Knopf, at the age of 18. He graduated from Mortimer Jordan High School in 1965, a three sport letterman in football, baseball, and basketball. After working briefly for State Farm Insurance, he made the decision to attend college and was accepted at Samford University where he graduated in the spring of 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He would return to Jordan in the Fall of 1969. He served as head junior high football coach for five years, head baseball coach for four years, and head basketball coach for two years. In 1971, he was the coach of the East/West County Baseball Tournament, leading that team to the championship. He left coaching in 1975 to attend UAB where he received his master’s degree in American History. He also began driving a school bus route where he often sang to his student his favorite songs from the 50s. In 1989, he returned to coaching one last time to coach both the baseball and football teams, leading both to record seasons. During that fall he helped lead the Blue Devils to a 7-4 season and a trip to the State Play-offs. In the spring of 1990 the baseball team, under his guidance, won Jordan’s first Jefferson County Championship. Through the years, Coach Counts held many titles, from janitor to coach to assistant principal. His greatest accomplishment however was achieved in the classroom where he taught MJHS students the story and history of our country. He was first and foremost always a TEACHER. He retired from the Jefferson County Board of Education in 1993 but his work was not over. Over the next 25 plus years, he maintained the Morris Cemetery on a volunteer basis. He was instrumental in the growth of the Morris-Kimberly Cemetery Association where he served as President of the association for many years, always focusing on building the association’s trust fund to achieve perpetual care. He spent those years helping families when their loved ones passed by making himself available to measure and mark graves to prepare for their burial. As a family, we are so proud to call him husband, father, and grandfather. He was adored by his students and respected by his community. Wayne is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carolyn Knopf Counts; two daughters, Carla Counts (Shane Barber) and Heather Swindle (Bobby); and four grandchildren, Bellamy Corley (Brandon), Sawyer Swindle, Branson Swindle and Colin Swindle. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Hobson Counts and Adrienne Louise Creel Counts. Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 2, 2024 at 11am at Gardendale Heritage Funeral Home; burial will follow in Morris Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Thursday, August 1, 2024 from 5pm to 8pm at Gardendale Heritage Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to either The Morris-Kimberly Cemetery Association or Enon Baptist Church.

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Wayne Thomas Counts

March 28, 1947 - July 30, 2024