ARTHUR, Ill. (WCIA) — This week, people around Central Illinois are mourning the loss of Jerry Lane, a High School Hall of Fame coach.

Jerry Lane was a football, baseball and softball coach for nearly 50 years. He was inducted into the Football and Softball Hall of Fame, and in 2021, he led Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond High School to 4th in state.

The school’s athletic director said Lane influenced so many students and staff.

“It’s him calling me after a softball game and talking about what happened, or are going out to practice and and just interacting with him,” Nathan Seal said, “and hearing stories of the past, what he was planning for practice, the way he interacted with his players.”

Coach Lane coached in Arthur for 10 years. Before that, he was Sullivan’s football coach for 23 years.

A visitation will be held in Sullivan High School’s gym from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. He was 76.