By Edgar on May 28th, 2014
    A service honoring the life of T.J. McCall, 35, were held on Thursday, May 22 at 10 am at Rose Neath Chapel in Mansfield. Burial followed at Paul Family Cemetery in Converse. Visitation was held at Rose Neath Funeral Home from 5-9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21. The native of Converse was born on Feb. 20, 1979 and passed from this life on May 19, 2014 from natural causes. While his time on Earth was too short, the positive memories held by those left behind will be long-lasting. T.J. was a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, earning a degree in Kinesiology. While at SLU, he certified as a teacher in Health, Physical Education, and Social Studies. With a love of basketball, he served as head varsity basketball coach at Bossier, Marksville, Converse and Zwolle during his career. Making several playoff runs, sending athletes to college on scholarships, and a deep passion for his work earned him the honor of The Shreveport Times Coach of the Year in 2007. He took time to learn the personal lives of his student-athletes, often providing for them well beyond the requirements of his work. As a high school student, T.J. began working summers at the Louisiana Lions Camp for children with disabilities, diabetes, or pulmonary disorders. He continued working, each summer, at Lions Camp for 14 years – well into his adult life. His natural gift to work with these special children was quite obvious and he rose to the rank of Program Director. He touched the lives of so many children and he found great joy in being their counselor. His service as a teacher, coach, and counselor, T.J. will be known for his fun-loving personality. He was a caring, witty, dedicated, and loyal grandson, son, and friend. Always a kid at heart, he enjoyed reading, going to the movies, being cast as an extra in local films, sports, and professional wrestling. He was a devout fan of the Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Cowboys, and the Atlanta Braves. T.J. loved superheroes and even dressed as his favorite hero, Superman, to give candy to children on Halloween. T.J. is survived by his mother, Marsha McCall, of Mansfield and his father, Clark McCall, of Shreveport. He was preceded in death by maternal grandparents T.J. and Marjorie Paul and paternal grandparents W.C. and Inez McCall. Pallbearers were Coach Chris Brumley, Mr. Ray Cecil, Coach Chad Crow, Mr. Nicholas Ezernack, Coach Rich Remedies, and Coach Gary Mark Rivers. Honorary pall- bearers were Dr. Cade Brumley, Coach Chuck McBee, Coach Brad McLaren, and Coach Joe Parrie. In lieu of flowers, T.J. would have appreciated memorial donations being made to the Louisiana Lions Camp at P.O. Box 171, Leesville, LA 71496.