Iowa History Daily: On June 24, 2009, legendary Aplington-Parkersburg high school football coach Ed Thomas was murdered by a former student. A two-time state championship coach, Thomas is perhaps best remembered for his integrity and influence on generations of students.
Born in Oskaloosa during 1950, Thomas grew up primarily in What Cheer. Thomas played quarterback at Tri-County HS in Thornburg before attending William Penn University and the University of Northern Iowa. After finding a job teaching and coaching the Aplington-Parkersburg Falcons, Thomas built an Iowa high school football powerhouse.
Over the course of 37 seasons, Thomas led the Falcons two two state championships and 292 total wins. The Falcons sent five players on to the NFL during Thomas’s tenure as head coach. In 2005, Thomas won the prestigious NFL High School Coach of the Year Award in 2005.
When a massive EF5 tornado struck in May of 2008, Thomas helped rally the community. His team worked together to ensure the stadium would be ready for the following season, and the community came together to celebrate recovery. Thomas’s murder in 2009 deeply shook the small towns of Aplington and Parkersburg. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
