George Edward Koontz

George Edward Koontz, 66, of Ooltewah passed away February 17, 2020.

A native of Knoxville, TN., George grew up in Atlanta, GA before moving to Chattanooga.

He attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he was House Manager, Treasurer, and Vice President of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity graduating in 1971 with honors with a B.A.  Degree in Political Science.

He then attended the University of Tennessee College of Law where he was elected to the Dean’s Advisory Committee and won the American Jurisprudence Award for the highest grade in his class for Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law I and Constitutional Law II graduating 11th in his class.

In 1984 he co-founded the law firm of Kennedy, Fulton and Koontz which ultimately grew to 10 lawyers and today is known as Kennedy, Koontz and Klingler Law Firm.

George has been active in amateur baseball throughout the southeast or over 30 years helping over 320 Tennessee and Georgia baseball players obtain college scholarships and is the majority owner of the Real Sports Academy in Ooltewah, TN.    He was able to watch his favorite player, Mickey Mantle play at the Yankee Stadium many times as a child.  

Because of his passion and love for baseball, in 1993 George was lead to become founder and general manager of the Chattanooga Cyclones Baseball Program.  The program enabled George to assist the area’s young and dedicated baseball players in developing their skills and to expose them to college coaches as well as professional scouts.   He loved to teach and watch the young boys on their journey.

George loved animals, his dear family, friends and his staff and colleagues. Perhaps his greatest joy later in life was his granddaughter, Bella.  He especially enjoyed watching her grow and participate in sports and her love of karate.

He was an avid traveler as a child enjoying many wonderful trips with his mother.

He will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend to many.  He loved his family deeply and was very proud of his son, Dylan and loved seeing him grow into a wonderful husband and father and become the man that he is today.

He was a loving husband to Carolyn and they shared many great times together relaxing on the white sandy beaches of Negril Jamaica.  He was proud how Carolyn took in every Cyclone player as her own and supported them on and off the field.  She was a great supporter of George in his mission with the Cyclone tournaments because she knew just how much baseball meant to him.

George and his wife Carolyn are founding members of Grace Works Church.

He was preceded in death by his father, George M. Koontz.

George is survived by his wife of 37 years, Carolyn Koontz;  son, Dylan (Lacey) Paris;  granddaughter, Bella Paris all of Ooltewah;  mother, Mary Koontz, Chattanooga;  sister-in-law Pam Miller, Franklin, TN;  nephew, Will (Jessica) Miller;  great nephew and niece, Dylanger and Khalynn, all of Fairview, TN; aunt, Lorraine George and uncle, Ralph Erickson.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 a.m.,  Saturday, February 22 at Grace Works Church, 6445 Lee Highway with Dr. Bill Owens, Ryan Vinson, John Geppi, and Jim McKoon officiating.

Honorary pallbearers will be David Mead, Ryan Vinson, Aaron Simmons, Travis Simmons, James Bowen, Hunter Oliver, Daniel Howard, Mark Hunter, Michael Langston, Tanner Moore, and the Staff of Kennedy, Koontz, and Klingler Law Firm.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Grace Works Church Building Fund, Grace Works Church, 6445 Lee Highway, Chattanooga, TN  37421 in Memory of George Koontz.

You may visit www.heritagechattanooga.com to share condolences to the Koontz Family and view the memorial tribute.

The family will receive friends Friday from 4-8 pm at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 E. Brainerd Rd. and Saturday from 10 am until 11 am at Grace Works Church.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.