Jim G. Coone of East Ridge, Tennessee, passed away Monday, June 11. Dr. Coone was born in Andalusia, Alabama, and grew up in Columbus, Georgia. He graduated magna cum laude from Carson-Newman College with an AB in psychology in 1959 and went on to serve in the U.S. Army as an acting sergeant. After his stint in the Army, Dr. Coone taught health, English, and Spanish at East Fannin High School in Blue Ridge, Georgia, where he also coached the basketball team. In 1967, Dr. Coone earned his master of science in general psychology from the University of Georgia, and then his PhD in educational psychology in 1968 from the same institution. While at the university, he was inducted into the academic honor societies Phi Kappa Phi and Psi Chi. From 1968 to 2000, when he retired as Full Professor, Dr. Coone taught psychology at North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega, Georgia. Over the course of his college career, he served as acting department head on several occasions and was a member of various committees, including the library committee, the discipline committee, and a committee in which he worked with other professors to create student feedback forms for the faculty. During his time at North Georgia, Dr. Coone served as a judge at several Georgia science fairs. He was known as a dedicated and fair teacher who spent many hours on his lectures and tests. Outside the classroom, he mentored and befriended quite a few students. Dr. Coone was an active member of the community as well, serving in various leadership roles in the Optimist Club, as well as working with the Athletic Boosters Club and the Parent-Teacher Association of Lumpkin County. Dr. Coone also served as a den leader and scoutmaster for the Cub Scouts. He was especially proud of, and gratified by, the work he did as a football coach in Lumpkin County. His Pee Wee team (grades four to six) won four league championships, while his eighth-grade team went unbeaten and untied in 1976. Because of Dr. Coone's spirit of volunteerism, the psychology department at North Georgia created a community service award in his honor, given on a yearly basis to the psychology major who has made a substantial contribution to his or her community. In his spare time, Dr. Coone loved to work Sudoku and New York Times crossword puzzles, along with spending time with his dogs. He was a devout Christian and attended Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in East Ridge, Tennessee. Dr. Coone was preceded in death by a son James Lee Coone, MD. He is survived by his wife of nearly 54 years, Janice Lay Coone; daughter and son-in-law, Cathryn Coone-McCrary and Joe McCrary of Acworth, GA; daughter-in-law, Sonja Coone of Fort Ogelthorpe, GA; brother and sister-in-law, Butch and Cindy Coone of Andalusia, AL; sisters-in-law, Mary and her husband Al Marks of Murrayville, GA and Dottie and her husband James Harris of Clayton, GA; grandchildren, James Matthew Coone of Fort Oglethorpe, GA and Maya Mohan of Raleigh, NC. Funeral services were held Friday, June 15, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. from Akins Funeral Home Chapel of Blue Ridge, GA with Pastor Jonathon Horseman officiating. Pallbearers were Joe McCrary, Al Marks, Harold Hulsey, Travis Kilgore, Steve Noble, and Butch Coone. Interment followed at Chastain Memorial Park. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.akinsfuneralhome.com. Akins Funeral Home of Blue Ridge was in charge of arrangements. .