Those closest to Ronnie Coker know his legacy will last a lifetime

BOSSIER CITY, La. (KSLA) - “June 5, he won that day. That was his greatest victory, " says Bossier Schools assistant superintendent, Jason Rowland.

Ronnie Coker won the day, and was victorious in life. The veteran baseball coach was called to his eternal home. But, not without leaving a legacy.

“It was everyday, ‘What could I do to help someone else be better?’ It was never about him. It was always about other people, " says Haughton head football coach, Jason Brotherton.

“He lived better knowing that he was dying than most people lived while they’re living, " says Rowland.

Despite learning of the return of his cancer diagnosis, he proved to be larger than life.

“You know I can remember him looking at me saying, ‘My first thought was, what’s next? Okay, I’ve got cancer. What’s next? What can I do? What are we going to do? How are we going to deal with it?”

“He encouraged everybody, " says Rowland. “He was around, I mean, the faith that he showed throughout this process, it was something that I’ll never get over or never forget.”

Coach Coker’s story became a source of inspiration for others.

“You get a platform, once people know you have cancer and you’re dying, some people get that platform and they don’t use it, " says Brotherton. “Coach Coker used that platform more than anyone could’ve imagined.”

“I don’t want Ronnie’s memory, or the things that he accomplished, or the way that he impacted people to go away, " says Rowland. “He set the tone for us to now do that for other people.”

While Ronnie Coker isn’t here with us, those closest to him know he’s never truly gone.

“Thanks for the lessons you taught me when you didn’t know that you were teaching me lessons, " says Brotherton.

“When he met the Lord, he probably asked him, ‘How are you doing, " says Rowland.

Copyright 2023 KSLA. All rights reserved.