Obituary of Tobin D. Wrice

Our beloved son, brother, husband, father, uncle, coach, and friend, Tobin Douglas Wrice, has passed over on February 27, 2023. He was 64 years old. He was preceded in death by his father, Herman Charles Wrice. Toby was born on August 16th, 1958, to Herman and Jean Wrice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Through the Young Great Society, founded by his dad, he received the training he needed to play sports that would later provide the foundation for his unique coaching philosophy that so many of us know today. Toby graduated from University City High School in Philadelphia, and attended Rocky Mountain College, Seattle Community College, and Northwestern College in Iowa. Tobin, Uncle Toby, Coach Toby, Toby, or Tob, was a man who was recognized and admired in every community of which he was a part. He was a man of many words, always an introduction away from a new friend. He was cherished by his family, his friends, players, coaches, and co-workers alike. His presence and reputation preceded and followed him wherever he went. To many people he was louder and larger than life, always smiling, joking, and providing an uplifting word to help them through whatever they may have been going through. In April 1980, Toby met Terri McNeil in Des Moines, Iowa, and the two were married six months later. They returned to the East Coast in 1985 shortly before the birth of their first child and have remained since. Toby worked at Pitney Bowes to support the family, attended Lincoln Technical Institute, which allowed him to secure a job at Per-Fil Industries, where he worked until his passing. Toby was a lifelong coach, beginning his coaching career in Iowa with a boys’ basketball team which he led to a state championship. He then coached at St. Mary’s Hall, now Doane Academy in Burlington, NJ. He learned the game of soccer to coach the travel soccer team of his daughters, and founded an instructional recreational basketball league in Riverside to spread the game to as many as would participate. He was a co-founding member of the AAU team Boro Blitz, and went on to coach and assist with many other AAU programs. As a faithful Christian, Toby found strength in his relationship with Christ, and was a member of several congregations, finding his church home at Alpha Baptist Church in 2018. He was also a faithful supporter of his favorite Philadelphia sports teams, and all of the teams his children played for. Toby is survived by his mother, Jean, his wife, Terri, three children, Tobi (Marcus), Sabra (Rachael), and McNeil (Meagan), four grandchildren, Logan, Mia, Margo, and Ray, eight siblings, Terry, Tracy (Gloria), Tyrone, Tony, Tammi, Timothy (Marne), Elanda Bell, and James Williams, a host of nieces and nephews, and a community of beloved friends and neighbors. No words can truly express how much we will miss him. He was the toughest and most loving coach. He lifted up God in everything he did and was one of the kindest souls to walk this earth. We will all do everything we can to keep his legacy and continue sharing the love and light just like Toby did.