By Skylar Swisher, the Daily Herald
MT. PLEASANT ? Jack Lightfoot ? a former principal, mayor and city commissioner ? dedicated his life to serving his community and students, city officials said Monday.

Lightfoot died Sunday at Maury Regional Hospital at the age of 81.

?Mr. Lightfoot was highly respected in our community and also by those in the surrounding area,? Mt. Pleasant Mayor William H. Boyd said. ?He was truly a community-minded person.

Lightfoot was a teacher at Hay Long and Mt. Pleasant high schools and later served as principal of Mt. Pleasant High School.

He also coached basketball and football during his career as an educator. In 1958, The Tennessean named Lightfoot Mid-State Coach of the Year.

He served two terms as Mt. Pleasant mayor and was a city commissioner from 1970-1978. He belonged to numerous community organizations, including the American Legion Post No. 10, where he was commander for 14 years.

Vice Mayor Willie Baker worked under Lightfoot as an instructor at Hay Long School and served with Lightfoot on the Mt. Pleasant Power Board.

?It is a great loss for the community,? Baker said. ?He was a wonderful person. He was a good principal, and I enjoyed working under him as an instructor.?

Lightfoot taught City Commissioner Steve Kirk?s eighth-grade civics class. Kirk remembered Lightfoot as a fair-minded person and a dedicated educator.

?He was a plus for this community, and I think he will be very sorely missed here,? Kirk said.

Lightfoot taught the mayor?s high school health class as well.

?He never opened the textbook to teach class,? the mayor said. ?He did it all from memory.?

Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Williams Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant with the Rev. Emily Barker officiating.

Burial will be in the Polk Memorial Garden with military honors provided by the Herbert Griffin American Legion Post No. 19. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.