Obituary of Philip Ervin Brintnall

PHILIP ERVIN BRINTNALL, Teacher and Coach. Philip Ervin Brintnall, 76, longtime teacher and coach in Western North Carolina passed away April 3, 2018 after a brief stay at Mountain View Manor in Bryson City from complications related to Lewy Body Dementia with Parkinson's disease. He was born in Hickory, NC and grew up in Bryson City, where he starred on the Swain County High School Basketball team. He received All-Conference honors in the Smoky Mountain Conference and was named to the All-Western North Carolina Team and the All-State Team, as well as playing in the East-West All Star game in 1959. Later he was elected to the Hendersonville High School Hall of Fame and Swain County Athletic Hall of Fame. He attended the University of Tennessee for two and a half years of eligibility, he joined his brother John as a member of the Catamount Basketball team. After graduating from Western Carolina University, Philip coached basketball, football, cross-country and track at Hendersonville High School, becoming head football coach in 1978. In 1991 he accepted the position of head football coach at Brevard High School, where he remained for four years before retiring and returning to his hometown in Bryson City to care for his father. During his years coaching football at Hendersonville and Brevard, Philip compiled an outstanding record of 134 wins and 75 losses. In retirement, he taught physical education for twelve years in Swain County Middle School, coached the JV team and briefly assisted coaching the Swain County High School football team. In all his coaching positions, he also exhibited his artistic ability by painting the school emblem in the middle of the football field for games. The success of students and athletes, whom Philip mentored through the years, as well as his relationships with associated coaches, occupied a major part of his life, providing him much pleasure and satisfaction. He is survived by his wife Anita, His son Nick(Elin) of Hendersonville, NC, grandson, Tyler (Jessica) of Knoxville, TN, brothers, John (Sara) of Nashville, TN, William (Betty) of Hot Springs Village, AR, sister, Patricia (Jim) of North Las Vegas, NV, granddaughter, Grace of Hendersonville, NC, stepdaughter, Angela (Josh) Puyallup, WA, Stepdaughter in-law, Crystal, step-granddaughter Samantha, step-grandsons, Carter and Stahle, along with several nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Philip was preceded in death by his parents Philip Earl and Lucille Farmer Brintnall and stepson Justin Cochran. Visitation will be held Friday April 6th, 2018 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Crisp Funeral Home in Bryson City. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Swain County Athletic Hall of Fame PO Box 2340 Bryson City, NC 28713 of Boys and Girls Club: PO Box 1460 Hendersonville, NC 28793, or online at www.bgchendersonco.org, or Lewy Body Dementia Association 912 Killian Hill Road S.W., Lilburn GA30047 or lbda.org