The University of Georgia announced that legendary former head football coach Vince Dooley died Friday at the age of 90. Check out his family and wife.
Vince Dooley : When did die | Family | Death | Wife
After spending the first ten years of his coaching career as the offensive coordinator at Auburn, Dooley was hired as head coach at Georgia.
In his 25 seasons, he averaged over eight wins a year, won six Southeastern Conference championships (1966, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982) and one National Championship in 1980.
After the 1980 national championship season, Vince Dooley was offered the head coaching position at Auburn, encouraged by his former Auburn teammate and Alabama Governor Fob James.
Vince Dooley when did die
Legendary Georgia Bulldogs football head coach Vince Dooley passed away Friday afternoon, the university announced. He was 90 years old.
The Hall of Fame coach died peacefully at his home, according to UGA, surrounded by his wife and four children.
The Alabama native spent 25 years coaching at Georgia and became the winningest coach for the school with a 201-77-10 record. In 1980 he won a National Championship and throughout his career, he was able to secure six conference titles.
Dooley also won SEC Coach of the Year five times.
After retiring, Dooley became Georgia’s athletic director and during his tenure, UGA sports teams won 23 national titles.
Family
Vince Dooley has a go-to line whenever the conversation turns to his ever-growing family.
“Well, we can field a whole football team,” he said, referring to his 11 grandchildren.
The Dooley “team” has now grown to include couple of subs. Dooley and his wife, Barbara, became great-grandparents eight months ago when identical twin girls Murphy Elizabeth and Miles Marie were born to grandson Patrick Cook and his wife, Lauren.
Add in uncles and aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins and the equally prodigious Meshad clan on Barbara’s side of the family, and the Dooleys will have a full Power-5 roster on the field at Sanford Stadium on Saturday for the official dedication ceremony of Dooley Field.
“The whole family is going to be down there,” Barbara Dooley said. “It’s going to be a mob scene!”
Death
Vince Dooley, the Hall of Fame University of Georgia football coach who brought a national championship to Athens in 1980, died Friday at age 90.
Dooley died peacefully at his home this afternoon in the presence of his wife, Barbara, and their four children, according to a UGA obituary.
“I join the entire Bulldog Nation in expressing our sadness over the loss of our legendary and treasured athletic leader and dear friend,” UGA President Jere Morehead said in a statement and “I first had the opportunity to spend significant time with Coach Dooley when I served as Faculty Athletics Representative 20 years ago. Also I have always been grateful for the many ways he worked to make the University of Georgia a stronger and better institution.
My fondest memory is going to his home to tell him we planned to name Dooley Field in his honor. He will be missed by all who had the opportunity to know and learn from him. We extend our deepest sympathy to Barbara and all members of the Dooley family.”
He also dabbled in politics, and was recruited by both parties to run for U.S. Senate or governor. Barbara Dooley eventually ran for Congress in 2002, losing in the Republican primary. Vince never ran, but he did often endorse conservative candidates like Gov. Brian Kemp, state Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens) and Walker, who’s running for Senate this year.
Dooley was hospitalized with COVID-19 and pneumonia earlier this month. A cause of death has not been announced.
Vince Dooley wife
Dooley left behind his wife of 62 years, Barbara, and their four children.
Barbara Dooley, 83, was formerly Barbara Anne Meshad prior to marrying Vince on March 19, 1960.
She was born in Birmingham, Alabama on September 8, 1939.
Upon marrying Vince, the pair had four children together: Deanna, Daniel, Denise, and Derek.
Barbara and all four children were there together at the time of Vince’s passing at his Athen’s home on October 28.
She was born in Birmingham, Alabama on September 8, 1939. Barbara is 83 years old.
The two had married for 62 years.