Goodrich assistant basketball coach unexpectedly dies at age 50

Kres Washington was an assistant on the boys junior varsity team

Goodrich junior varsity boys basketball coach Kres Washington died on Tuesday while volunteering at Oaktree Elementary in the Goodrich school district.

Washington was 50 years old. 

“He was reading to the kids in the library around 10-10:30 (a.m.) and he dropped dead,” Goodrich head boys basketball coach Gary Barns told MLive.com. “Our school was pretty shook up.”

Washington had also served as a seventh grade coach and was involved in Goodrich football.

The Goodrich program posted the following on Facebook: "... Kres is bigger than life itself, always a smile on his face and a contagious laugh not too far behind. Kres played a major part in so many Goodrich Martian's lives from the field to the court, to the diamond. Kres has left a positive impact on this program, this school, and this community an impact that will last forever. Kres you will be missed my friend, but never forgotten."

“We are keeping Tara, Miles, Rae, and Grant in our thoughts and prayers. Please keep them in yours.”

It's the third death this season for Goodrich basketball. Player Landon Brown's father died in December, and longtime scorekeeper, Kathleen Schollar, also died.

“I’ve had a lot of crazy things happen in my career,” Barns told MLive. “I’ve never had as many tragedies to deal with as this year.”

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