Family and friends will pay their final respects Thursday to a beloved Northeast Georgia teacher and coach. Funeral services for Victor Vega are scheduled at 4 p.m. on May 8 at Memorial Park Funeral Home in Gainesville.
The 54-year-old Air Force veteran and educator died Tuesday, May 6, in a motorcycle wreck in Hall County’s Rabittown. The Georgia State Patrol charged a Gillsville woman with 2nd-degree vehicular homicide in connection with the wreck.
Coach Vega’s death was met with widespread grief. Those who knew and loved him posted tributes across social media.
“One of the kindest people I’ve ever known. He’s the real deal. He is missed,” said Angela Cooper.
Frankie Ferguson, one of Vega’s former students, remembers him as an “amazing man.”
“He loved equally and made sure to help any and every student. We all relied on Coach Vega. I feel sorry for his family. Sorry to the ones who miss him. And sorry for those who will never get to hear his voice or be touched by his actions,” Ferguson said.
Brian Carter of BLITZ Sports Georgia called Vega’s passing a “horrible loss.” He and thousands more offered their prayers and condolences to Vega’s family.
A life of service
Coach Vega had a lifelong love of baseball, which he started playing in his youth. He played college ball and later carried those experiences with him into his coaching.
“His passion for the sport created deep, lasting bonds with family and friends, and he shared that love freely with those around him,” his family said in his obituary.
Vega also lived a life marked by service and mentorship, both evident in the careers that he chose.
He joined the U.S. Air Force out of college, deploying to stations in Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. After leaving the military, Vega earned a Master of Business Administration and became a teacher.
In 2022, he went to work at East Hall High School, where he taught Business & Technology and Business Communications and served as an assistant softball and baseball coach. Vega was also the advisor for the school’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter.
In tribute to him, Vega’s family said he was known for “his radiant smile, uplifting spirit, and the genuine care he showed to everyone he met. His passing is an immeasurable loss to the East Hall High School community and to all who had the privilege of knowing him.”
Victor Vega is survived by his wife, Bethany, and son Victor Vega III. He also leaves behind several brothers and his mother.
The family will receive visitors at Memorial Park Funeral Home in Gainesville from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 8. The funeral will follow visitation in the Memorial Park chapel.
