Tony Bootland Obituary, Cause Of Death – The passing of our dear friend Tony Bootland is something that we must announce with a heavy heart. A life so rich in anecdotes and humour, a genuine character, and too many friends to count, gloriously lived and deservingly deserves to be remembered in a lovely way. Tonight, as a Team, we will show our respect by clinking glasses in honor of this living icon.
Our hearts go out to his family during this difficult time. Upon his graduation from Milligan College in 1979 with a degree in Commerce, Tony went on to acquire his master’s degree in education from East Tennessee State University. Tony had received a baseball scholarship to attend Milligan College. Tony began his career as a teacher at Mary Hughes Middle School in Piney Flats, Tennessee. After that, he taught for a couple of years at Vance Middle School.
However, the majority of his 27-year teaching (math) and coaching (baseball, football) career was spent at Tennessee High School, where he worked until his retirement in 2009. Mr. Mitchell, often known as Coach Mitchell, was revered by his coworkers, students, and players throughout his whole career as a Viking. Tony cherished the time he spent with his family. At their log-cabin house on Oakland Road, he, his devoted wife Deborah, who he has been married to for the past 39 years,
and their son Chase shared many happy and memorable years together. Tony found the greatest joy in spending his summers at South Holston Lake, eating Sunday dinners with his family, going for walks in the woods, and paying visits to his friends. In Tony’s later years, he and Deb enjoyed nothing more than spending early mornings together on their front porch, coffee in hand and their dog curled up on their lap, listening to Billy Graham sermons, watching deer meander through the yard, and having meaningful conversations about the goodness of God.
