Coach Hugh Thomas Fountain III

March 27, 2025

Coach Hugh Thomas Fountain III, a devoted husband, father, paw paw, mentor, and legendary high school football coach, passed away on March 24, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of faith, family, and football.

Born on March 13, 1964, in Brewton, Alabama, Hugh was the son of Hugh and the late Gayle Fountain. He grew up in East Brewton alongside his four siblings, Kim, Kay, Scott, and Jason. From an early age, he displayed a love for football, playing at W.S. Neal High School before continuing his career as a center at Troy State University. He was a member of the 1984 Troy State football national championship team, earned a letter in 1985, and later received his degree.

Hugh began his coaching career in 1987 as an assistant coach at Flomaton High School before becoming the head coach at Evergreen High School in 1988 at just 22 years old. The following year, he returned to his hometown as the head coach of the W.S. Neal Blue Eagles, leading the program to one of its most successful stretches in school history. Under his leadership, the team made six playoff appearances and, in 1995, tied the school record for most wins in a season with a 12-2 record.

In 1996, he took the helm at Charles Henderson High School in Troy, Alabama, where he spent 16 seasons and led the Trojans to 10 playoff appearances, including an undefeated regular season in 2007. In 2012, he transitioned to the AISA ranks as the head coach at Escambia Academy, where he won two football state championships, in 2014 and 2017, and guided the track program to eight straight state championships.

Coach Fountain’s impact on high school football was unparalleled. Over 39 years, he amassed an extraordinary 271 wins, ranking him 15th in Alabama high school football history for all-time wins. His teams qualified for the playoffs 29 times, and he holds the rare distinction of being the only head football coach in Alabama to be the winningest head football coach at three different schools—W.S. Neal, Charles Henderson, and Escambia Academy.

In 2022, Coach Fountain returned to W.S. Neal, bringing his career full circle as he continued to pour his heart into developing young athletes, mentoring his players, and changing lives. His passion extended beyond the field, as he worked tirelessly to secure college football scholarships for hundreds of student-athletes.

Beyond the gridiron, Hugh was a man of deep faith and a devoted servant of the Lord. He was an active member of Flomaton First Baptist Church, where he served as both the youth pastor and associate pastor. His calling to ministry led him to recently become an ordained minister, a role he embraced with the same passion and dedication that defined his coaching career. Whether from the pulpit or the sidelines, Hugh’s life was a testimony to his unwavering faith, and he found great joy in sharing God’s love with others.

Above all, Hugh was a devoted family man and a beloved husband to his wife of 39 years, Susan Locklier Fountain. Together, they built a beautiful life, raising three children: Hannah Fountain Helton (Brett), H.T. Fountain (Abigail), and Troy. He was also a proud grandfather to three grandchildren—Lock and Champ Helton, and Cross Fountain—who brought him endless joy.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Gayle Fountain; her parents, Eugene and Eloise Cargill; and his paternal grandparents, Hugh Thomas and Pearlie Mae Fountain.

Coach Fountain’s life was defined by his faith, his dedication to his players, and his love for his family. Though he has left the sidelines, his influence will continue to be felt in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him.

A celebration of Coach Fountain’s life will be held on Friday, March 28, 2025, with visitation from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM. The visitation will begin at the entrance to the fieldhouse and proceed onto the field, where condolences can be offered to the family. The service will follow on the football field at 7:00 PM.

A private graveside service will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2025 with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Of Brewton, Alabama Directing.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Coach Hugh Fountain Scholarship Fund (702 Greenlawn Circle, Flomaton, AL 36441) to continue his legacy of helping student-athletes achieve their dreams.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” – Matthew 25:23

Comments





Have a comment on this story?

We welcome your comments on this story, but there are some rules to follow::

(1) Be Nice. No comments that slander another, no racism, no sexism, no personal attacks.

(2) No Harrassing Comments. If someone says something bad about you, don't respond. That's childish.

(3) No Libel. That's saying something is not true about someone. Don't do it.

(4) Keep it clean. Nothing vulgar, obscene or sexually related. No profanity or obvious substitutions. Period.

(5) NorthEscambia.com reserves the right to remove any comments that violate our rules or we think to be inappropriate. We are not responsible for what is posted. Comments may not appear right away until they are approved by a moderator.

(6) Limit your comments to the subject in this story only, and limit comments to 300 words or less. Do not post copyrighted material. Comments will not be added to stories that are over 30 days old.

(7) No posts may advertise a commercial business, political candidate or political group, or link to another commercial web site or political site of any kind.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Obituaries