George Pappas

With heavy hearts and deep gratitude, we honor and celebrate George Pappas (b. December 14, 1942 d. October 10, 2025) — husband, father, teacher, coach, mentor, and exemplar— whose life left an indelible imprint on his family, countless students, athletes, and colleagues.

George was born of Greek immigrant parents in Hammond, Indiana, and excelled early on in athletics, and specifically took interest in football. In high school he was named First Team All‑State in 1959 and was a High School All‑American in 1960. In college, he played at Purdue University, where he was voted Most Valuable Player as a freshman, and went on to start and letter for three years, being recognized as both the smallest and toughest guard in the Big Ten during that era.

His love of football naturally led to a career in coaching. After serving as a graduate assistant at Purdue (1965–66), George became an assistant coach at North Central High School (1969–74), and in 1975 assumed the head coaching role, a position he held through 1991. During that tenure his teams compiled a record of 126–53, and he mentored a host of outstanding players — several earning All‑State honors, college scholarships, and even professional careers. For his contributions as a coach, he was inducted into the Hammond Sports Hall of Fame, the Order of Ahepa Hellenic Athletic Hall of Fame, Indiana Football Hall of Fame (IFCA). 

Yet George’s calling was not limited to the gridiron. For 42 years, he devoted himself to education, teaching Advanced Placement World History to freshmen and shaping the minds of generations. He believed deeply in judging individuals by their character and giving every student a fair chance, regardless of background or circumstance. Over the course of his career, many of his athletes went on to receive college scholarships, became collegiate All Americans, and some even started in the Super Bowl.

In recognition of that dual legacy in sport and in scholarship he earned the Strathmore’s Professional of the Year honor for a combined 42 years of teaching and coaching. He was also involved with professional associations, including the National Teachers Association, Indiana Teachers Association, and AHEPA (Chapter 232). George’s family can tell you the countless times people stopped him around town, he was a local legend!  

Beyond his public achievements, George was most admired and loved as a devoted husband to Mary for 57 years, father to Alexandra (Eric Johnson), Katherine (Jack Adams), and Jamie (Jon Rangel), and proud grandfather to Zoe, Jacquie, and Jack George. He enjoyed golf, maintaining his home, and reconnecting with students, players or colleagues — oftentimes over a story and a cigar.

We give thanks for George’s life and selfless contributions to his family and community for the discipline, compassion, humor and integrity he brought to every endeavor. His legacy lives on in the students who carry forward his lessons, in the athletes who were shaped under his guidance, and in every life he touched.

May his memory be an eternal blessing and an inspiration to all.