Joseph Farley Day passed away in Roswell, Ga. on Wednesday, July 6, 2011, at age 88. The Days were longtime Claremont, Calif., residents who recently moved to Georgia. Mr. Day was born Jan. 18, 1923, in Baton Rouge, to Joseph Farley and Irene Hernandez Day. He graduated from Catholic High School in 1941 but stayed on an extra year to continue playing football.
He enlisted in the Army and was sent to the Pacific Theater to fight in World War II. He received the Bronze Star for valor and Purple Heart after being wounded in the Philippines. Mr. Day was able to visit the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 2008, through an Honor Air Flight.
He returned home after the war and earned a bachelor's degree at LSU in 1950 and began a career of teaching and coaching at Menard High School in Alexandria. He married Mary Ellen "Noonie" Copponex in 1951 and they moved to Bay St. Louis, Miss., where he coached football and wresting at St. Stanislaus College.
The Days moved to California in 1956, where he coached at several high schools and also ran the popular Boys Academy Sports Camp every summer for 26 years. Mr. Day is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen "Noonie" Day, of Roswell; daughter, Mary and husband Larry Thacher, of Johns Creek, Ga.; son, Farley and wife Shari, of Nashville, Tenn.; and granddaughters, Brittany and Hayley Thacher and Jacquelyn, Alexandria and Victoria Day. He is also survived by a brother, Thomas and wife Peggy Day, of Baton Rouge; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Saturday, July 9, at St. Joseph Cathedral, where he and Noonie were married, from 10 a.m. until Mass of Christian Burial at noon. Burial with military honors will be at Greenoaks Memorial Park. Arrangements are by Rabenhorst Funeral Home East.
Published in The Advocate on July 8, 2011
