It is with great sadness that the family of Hobart Wade Lytal announces his passing on May 6, 2021 at the age of 84 years old. A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at Quinlan West Memorial Cemetery with Rev. Deborah Jones officiating. The cemetery is located on Highway 276, just west of Quinlan. Services are under the direction of Coker-Mathews Funeral Home.
Coach Lytal was born on May 8, 1936 in Quinlan, Texas and is the son of the late Hobart B. and Juanita Lytal. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Peggy Short Lytal, and children James (Mary Beth) and Lori (Michael), Matt (Karen), Todd (Carol) and Grant. Coach Lytal will also be fondly remembered by his grandchildren, Wade (Malorie), Aaron (Anna), Mason (Sarah), Ryan, Sarah, Sarah (Wes), Kyle, Anna (Jesse), Scott, Jack, Sam, Andy, Katie, Madie, Jake and great-grandchildren Kellyanne, Emmalynn, Nora, Ella and Wyatt.
Coach Lytal graduated from Quinlan High School in 1953, where he was a four-year letterman in basketball, three-year all-District baseball performer and the recipient of the QHS All-Around Athletic Award. In 2011, Coach Lytal was inducted into the Quinlan Hall of Fame. At 16 years old, he attended Austin College on a full basketball scholarship where he received several outstanding awards, including: eight letters in football, basketball and baseball, two-time recipient of the Austin College Pete Cawthon Award for character, leadership, effort and contribution to athletics and scholastic improvement, and made the 1956 Dallas Morning News All-Texas College Football Squad. In 1972, Coach Lytal was inducted into the Austin College Hall of Honor. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Austin College and later received a Master’s Degree from East Texas State University.
His professional teaching and coaching career spanned 34 years and covered each of the three major sports – football, basketball and baseball at both the high school and collegiate level. Coach Lytal began his career as Assistant football and head basketball coach at Celeste, then Archer City High School. He was Head Football and Basketball Coach at Leonard followed by positions of Assistant Football and Basketball Coach as well as Head Baseball Coach at Greenville High School. From 1965-70, he served as Assistant Football Coach and Head Baseball Coach, and then was promoted to Head Football Coach at Tarleton State College. In 1969, Coach Lytal was chosen to coach at the Oil Bowl High School All-State football game. In 1970, he accepted a position as an Assistant Football Coach at Sherman High School. In 1971, he accepted a position as an Assistant Football Coach that led to Head Football Coach at MacArthur High School in Irving Texas. He served in this position until 1980 when he was promoted to Athletic Director in the Irving Independent School District. Coach Lytal retired from Irving ISD in 1991. In 2017, he was inducted into the Irving Hall of Fame.
For his years in education, Coach Lytal consistently volunteered within the districts that he worked. Most recently, he received the Norman A. Southerland Award for Community Service. He also was a Junior High Sunday School teacher, a member and president of the Las Colinas Rotary Club, the “A” Association for Austin College Alumni and a member of the Quinlan Trestle Board Masonic Lodge.
According to a former player, “(He) had a tremendous and positive impact on many young men and women because of his passion to teach the importance of hard work, ethics, discipline, respect and teamwork in preparing them for their futures.” During his tenure as Athletic Director of Irving ISD, Coach Lytal was quoted in the Irving Daily News, reported by Todd Epperson as saying, “Athletics is an education in life. I think the discipline that a youngster learns in athletic programs has a great carry-over into his adult life. It teaches them that the harder they work, the more they can get accomplished.”
Grandsons Wade Lytal, Aaron Lytal, Mason Lytal and Ryan McGiboney will serve as pallbearers.
Memorials may be made to Irving School Foundation, P. O. Box 152637, Irving, TX 75015 or online at website, irvingschoolsfoundation.org
