Former students of Kate Duncan Smith DAR School in Grant surprised former principal Joe Teal by showing up for worship March 1 at West Highland Baptist Church, where he is now pastor.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Teal said, “I am so honored. Last year I was inducted into the Marshall County Sports Hall of Fame, which for an old coach is kind of a big deal, but this is the greatest honor I have ever received.”

Shannon Benton, KDS class of 1980 and a retired assistant principal and athletic director from Gainesville, Georgia, heard Teal recently suffered a heart attack and began making phone calls to other graduates.

“Kate Duncan School is a source of pride to the Grant community, and Mr. Teal was a huge part of it for several decades. He and his wife went above and beyond to provide inspiration and vision for success to students. We just want him to know what he meant to so many,” Benton said.

More than 30 former students from the late 1960s through early 1990s and their spouses showed up for the service. Ricky Sutphin, class of 1972, was on Teal’s first basketball team. His son Chris, who graduated in 1991, also attended.

Mark White, class of 1986, now an investigator for the Arab Police Department, said Teal was an extension of the family and someone who students trusted. Teal spent 25 years at KDS, first as a math teacher and coach. He was principal for 17 years. More recently, he was minister of education and administration at First Baptist, Athens, for 14 years and has been at West Highland for four years.