Mr. Alan Wright Arrington, 44, died Monday, Dec. 23, 2013, as a result of an automobile accident in Panola County, Miss. The funeral service will be Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013, at 11 a.m. at North Oxford Baptist Church with the Rev. Alan Cochet and the Rev. Justin McGuire officiating. Burial will follow in College Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Waller Funeral Home.
Born in Water Valley, Miss., Alan was preceded in death by his father, Jimmy Lynn Arrington. Nicknamed “Tank,” he was in his second season on head coach Terry Bowden’s staff and, in addition to his assistant head coaching duties, also worked with the offensive line. Arrington came to UA after six seasons at North Alabama, serving as the program’s offensive coordinator for the last four years. He joined the UNA staff following 12 years as an assistant coach at Northwest Mississippi Community College after serving as a student assistant coach at Northwest Mississippi (1989-90) and Ole Miss (1991-93). His friend and colleague, Terry Bowden, describes him best, “We have lost someone who was truly special and had dedicated his life to guiding young men. Tank was a very good friend and a great person. In all my years of coaching I have never known someone who loved and cared for his players more than Tank”.
Survivors include his wife, Gail Perkins Arrington, of Akron, Ohio; his mother, Gale Wright Arrington, of Oxford, Miss.; and a brother, Perry Arrington, of Oxford, Miss.
Memorial contributions in Alan’s memory may be made to College Hill Cemetery Fund, 339 Co. Rd. 102, Oxford, MS 38655, or The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, P.O. Box 4527, New York, NY 10163 or nationalmssociety.org.
For additional information or to sign an online guest book, visit our website wallerfuneralhome.com or call 662-234-7971
