INDIATLANTIC, Fla. – John Tuttle, who started a 40-year career in education in Ashland schools and was an assistant football coach for the Tomcats from 1975 to 1979, had a stadium in Florida named in his memory earlier this month.

Tuttle, who died at the age of 76 in July, had the Heritage High School football stadium renamed Tuttle Stadium at a ceremony earlier this month. His education career spanned more than four decades in Kentucky and Florida.

As a young man in his early 20s, Tuttle’s 40-year education journey started in the Ashland Independent School System. He coached football for seven years in the Ashland system, starting at Putnam Jr. High and advancing to the high school level in 1975 when the Tomcats beloved JAWS team went 14-1. He also was on the staff in 1976 during a 9-3 season and stayed on when Mike Holtzapfel took over the head coaching reins at Ashland from 1977-79.

He was also a highly respected high school basketball referee in Kentucky, many times partnering with Bill Burch.

Tuttle was one of three assistant coaches during Herb Conley’s last two seasons at Ashland in 1975 and 1976. The other assistants were Bill Tom Ross and Holtzapfel.

Tuttle helped design and build Heritage High School in Florida, where he was principal when the first graduating class went through. He served in that role from 2009 to 2012.

Tuttle’s legacy is tied to Heritage Stadium, which serves as a symbol of his impact on education and athletics. His career was marked by dedication to student success, leadership in school administration and a passion for sports, making the stadium a fitting tribute to his contributions to the community.

If you are visiting Heritage Stadium, you can see it as a lasting monument to John Wayne Tuttle’s work in building and leading schools, as well as his role in shaping the athletic and academic environment for generations of students. 

Before leading Heritage High School, he coached football, baseball and golf at Palm Bay High School, leading his 1985 baseball team to the state championship. He later served as Assistant Principal at Cocoa Beach High, Principal at Mila Elementary, Southwest Middle School and Bayside High.

Brevard Public Schools officially dedicated the Heritage High School football stadium as Tuttle Stadium to honor his foundational leadership and impact.

Tuttle kept officiating basketball and appeared in several Florida state championship games as referee. Also, an avid golfer, he could shoot his age and shared a hole-in-one plaque with his son, Lance, and grandson, Cole, at Spessard Holland Golf Course.

He was from Winchester, Ky., and was married to his high school sweetheart, Karlene, for 55 years. Tuttle is survived by his wife and son and 10 grandchildren.

Tuttle was lured to Florida by friend John Thomas, a former star baseball player at Ashland, in 1980. Thomas was coaching in Florida and Tuttle followed him there to coach football and baseball at Palm Bay High.

He was also an assistant principal at Cocoa Beach High School and was a principal at Mila Elementary, Southwest Middle School and Bayside High. He was instrumental in designing Heritage High School before retiring after four decades in education.

Tuttle kept officiating basketball and appeared in several Florida state championship games as referee. Also, an avid golfer, he could shoot his age and share a hole-in-one plaque with his son, Lance, and grandson, Cole, at Spessard Holland Golf Course.

He was from Winchester, Ky., and was married to his high school sweetheart, Karlene, for 55 years. Tuttle is survived by his wife and son and 10 grandchildren.