‘Great man’: Vigil held to honor coach who died after weekslong battle with COVID-19

DENVER, N.C. — Teachers and students remembered a beloved Lincoln County teacher and coach, who died Sunday night after a weekslong battle with COVID-19.

[‘She loved everybody’: Third-grade teacher dies after recent COVID-19 diagnosis]

Jamie Seitz coached basketball, volleyball and golf, and he was a physical education teacher in Denver at Lincoln Charter.

He spent weeks in a hospital and was put on a ventilator before passing away.

A vigil was held for Seitz Wednesday in the school gym.

“Great man,” teacher Donna Wells said. “Great friend. Caring coach, teacher, father, husband, just a great all-around man. And it’s a loss we will feel for a long time.”

Outside, people sat in their cars and listened to the service on the radio to safely honor the coach during COVID-19.

Several people spoke about how many lives Seitz touched.

The service was called “Shine the Light.” Everyone in attendance lit a candle or shined a flashlight in Seitz’s memory.

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Seitz’s former basketball players said he was the type of teacher everyone in the school knew and loved.

“He did a lot of things to where it’s just a little bit to change a person’s life and that’s what Coach Seitz did,” Jeremy Collonia said. “It didn’t matter who it was. He touched everybody.”

“He was a very nice guy,” said Timothy Fowler, a senior. “He had a big open, heart for everyone.”

Seitz taught at the K-12 school for more than a decade.

“He kept the class very fun, made it entertaining,” Fowler said. “(He) made us want to go to that class.”

School leaders said Seitz wasn’t afraid to show his personality in class.

“He was a big Buffalo Bills fan,” said Jonathan Bryant, chief administrator. “He got all of his classes to do ‘Let’s go Buffalo’ chants.”

Monday night, the Bill’s official radio station in Buffalo talked about him.

“Got word today the Bills Nation lost a special fan down in Denver, North Carolina. Jamie Seitz, a native of Newfane. His father Denny was a longtime coach in Newfane. Jamie passed away last night due to complications from COVID. Our best wishes to his family, his wife Liz and children Carter and Peyton.”

Lincoln Charter said it is teaching virtually until at least Jan. 11.