Thomas William Bond Couch, 80, of Davidson, NC, died at Brookdale Home in Mooresville, NC on June 29, 2015. He was born in Greenwood, SC on November 6, 1934. His parents were Essie Hooper Couch and William Hubert Couch of Ware Shoals, SC. Tom was a graduate of Western Carolina University and Indiana University, being a member of the first graduating Sports Medicine Class at Indiana. Coach Couch was employed by Davidson College as athletic trainer for the Davidson Wildcats from 1963 – 1986. He is a lifetime member of The American College of Sports Medicine and The National Athletic Trainers Association, serving on the Professional Ethics Committee. He was a pre-Olympic Trainer for the USA basketball team touring Germany, Russia, Poland, and Finland in 1970. Coach Couch was named the first Athletic Trainer for The Charlotte Hornets in 1987-88. He served as a Trainer for the Shrine Bowl in 1997 and was named Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Athletic Trainer of the Year in 1993-94. He was a member of Davidson College Presbyterian Church and The United Sates Army National Guard. He also served on the NC State Superintendent’s Sports Medicine Advisory Commission in 1973.

Mr. Couch is survived by his wife, Shirley Gillespie Couch, of Davidson, NC and three sons, Thomas Kevin Couch and Joseph Christopher Couch of Davidson; William Kendall Couch and wife, Leslie, of Concord, NC and four grandchildren, Cade, Gabriella, Jenna and CJ Couch of Concord.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday July 2, 2015 in the Chapel of Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home, Huntersville, NC. Interment will follow at Mimosa Cemetery, Davidson, NC.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Davidson College Athletic Foundation, P.O. Box 7172, Davidson, NC 28036 or The Alzheimers Assocication, 3800 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215.
Friends may offer condolences to the family at www.raymerfh.com.