Bob Tonkin, who spent most of his adult life at three different District 9 schools, while also serving as a member of the District 9 committee passed away on Tuesday, May 21.
Born Sept. 16, 1943, Mr. Tonkin grew up in Pittston, Pa., and was a 1961 graduate of West Pittston High School (now Wyoming Valley High School).
He then went on to East Stroudsburg State College and majored in geography and social studies while playing four years for the Warriors’s football team. He was the starting center on the 1964 team that won the PSAC title, and that 1964 team was inducted into the East Stroudsburg Hall of Fame in 2012.
Following graduation from East Stroudsburg, Mr. Tonkin spent a year teaching social studies and coaching football and track at West Pittston HIgh School and then taught the following year at Stroudsburg Area High School while also coaching football.
Moving on to coaching football and track at Newport High School, Mr. Tonkin then came to the world of District 9 as a teacher and football coach at Redbank Valley.
Mr. Tonkin spent four years at Redbank Valley before moving on to Cameron County HIgh School where he taught and coached football and track. During his time at Cameron County, he also coached football at St. Marys and was twice selected to coach in the Big 30 All-Star game.
After his time at Cameron County, Mr. Tonkin moved on to Brookville High School where he taught social studies and coached football and track for two years before serving as the athletic director for the Raiders for 15 years. He was selected as the Region III Athletic Director of the Year in 2000.
Mr. Tonkin also officiated PIAA basketball for 18 years.
In 1986, Mr. Tonkin was elected to the District 9 committee, and served with the committee, including as the Secretary and Treasurer, up until his passing. He was also the football chairman running the District 9 football tournament for many years up through this past season and was the District 9 Track & Field chairman through the 2023 meet.
In 2008 and 2009, he was the Junior High/Middle School Representative on the PIAA Board of Directors and served a number of years on the PIAA Football and Track and Field Steering Committees.
One of Mr. Tonkin’s biggest accomplishments as a high school athletic administrator was increasing the number of classifications the PIAA uses to determine champions leading to greater opportunities for small, rural schools and teams.
In 2017 Mr. Tonkin was honored as the District 9 Special Contributor, in 2019 he was awarded the Clarion County YMCA Sportsperson of the Year award, and in March he received a lifetime achievement award from the National Football Foundation.
Mr. Tonkin is survived by his wife, Patty, sons, Michael and David, and daughter Phyllis.
Visitation and funeral arrangements will be announced at a later time.
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