James Luke Leggett

James “Luke the Legend” Leggett, 49, born February 12, 1966, died June 10, 2015. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 14, 2015, at First Trinity Presbyterian Church in Laurel, with burial to follow at Hickory Grove Cemetery. Dr. Sid Leak, Rev. Jaymar Jackson, and Rev. Adam Wade will officiate. Luke was a very well loved and respected coach and teacher at Laurel High School for seventeen years and at Seminary for three years. He was head baseball coach from 1999 until 2009 at Laurel High School. He was the 2015 Recipient of the Doug Hilton Award, named Coach of the Year, and a member of MAC (MS Association of Coaches) and Fellowship of Christian Athletics. He coached in Crossroads Diamond Club All Star Game in 2006. He was preceded in death by his mother, Jeanelle Jones Leggett; father, Quintin Leggett; and friend, Ike Welch. Survivors include his wife, Nicki Simpson Leggett; daughter, Katherine Leggett Sophus; son, Chad Dozier; four grandchildren; sisters, Carol Blackledge, Fay Polito, and Gay Ruffin; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Wes and Iram Simpson; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, David and Tracy Ford, Kevin and Terri Walker, and Bill and Jami Laws; nephews, David and Will Ford, Jack Walker, and William Laws; nieces, Peyton Walker and Olivia Laws; cousins, Jody and Tamara Leggett, Preston, A. K., Luke, and Cullen; and nephew, Dewayne Leggett and wife, Terri. He also is survived by special friends, Jessica and Rylei Pickerel, Meghan Roach, and Scott and Tammi Dodd; a host of other family and friends; and his beloved dogs, Trixie, Sadie, and Buddy, and the neighbor’s critters. Pallbearers will be David Ford, Jr., Will Ford, Jack Walker, Jody Leggett, Luke Leggett, Cullen Leggett, Dewayne Leggett, Ben Smith, Scott Dodd, Todd Breland, Matt Smith, and Ronnie Cochran. Honorary pallbearers will be David Ford, Sr., Kevin Walker, Bill Laws, William Laws, Preston Leggett, Jamey Watts, and a host of coaches and former administrators. In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorials be made to the American Cancer Society, 417 Security Square, Gulfport, MS 39507, First Trinity Presbyterian Church, 500 North 5TH Avenue, Laurel, MS 39440, or to the Laurel Educational Foundation C/O The Luke Leggett Fund, P. O. Box 288, Laurel, MS 39441. Visitation will be held from 5 until 8 p.m. Saturday, June 13, 2015, at Memory Chapel which is in charge of the arrangements. A slide show of Luke’s life, playing, and coaching will be presented during visitation by Devon Sellers, teacher at Laurel High School. To view and sign the family guest book, visit www.memorychapellaurel.com.

James Luke Leggett

February 12, 1966 - June 10, 2015