Ripley High School Mourns Beloved Head Baseball Coach Joel Gafford, Survived By Wife Lauren Smith Gafford And Their Six Children

Key Takeaways

• Ripley High School head baseball coach Joel Gafford passes away, however the details about his untimely death are not yet available.
• He served as the head baseball coach of Ripley High School.

Joel Gafford, a longtime head baseball coach at Ripley High School in Mississippi, passed away, leaving his family, friends, and students devastated.

The Mississippi native and renowned athlete Joel Gafford passed away on Sunday, May 4, 2025; however, the details about the cause of his untimely death are not yet available.

Moreover, the whole New Albany, Mississippi, community mourns the untimely death of their beloved native Joel Gafford and extends their heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time.

One of his students at Ripley High School took to his Facebook page to express his sorrow at losing his beloved coach, Joel Gafford, whom he regarded as his father.

The post reads:

Another added:

The late Joel Gafford was the head baseball coach at Ripley High School from 2010 until his recent demise.

Furthermore, for 15 seasons, Joel Gafford led his baseball team in several victories.

Under his leadership, the Tigers frequently ranked in the top 10 or top 5 within their division.

Prior to beginning his journey as the head coach of Ripley High School, the late Joel Gafford served as an assistant coach with the Tippah County Tribe in the CSBL and as an assistant for the BNA Bank Cotton States League.

Moreover, he briefly served as the assistant baseball coach at New Albany, his alma mater, from which he graduated in 2003.

He also showcased his exceptional baseball skills playing for the men’s baseball team at New Albany.

Joel Gafford’s legacy in baseball and his contribution to Ripley High School and the Mississippi community will always remain in the hearts of his loved ones.

Joel Gafford Leaves Behind His Longtime Wife Lauren, Six Children, And The Whole Family

The late Joel Gafford was not just an exceptional baseball player and coach, but also a great husband to his longtime wife Lauren Smith Gafford and an amazing father to their six kids.

Although both the late Joel Gafford and his longtime wife, Lauren, preferred to maintain a low profile regarding their personal lives, they often expressed their love for each other on social media.

Together, the couple raised six beautiful children, including four daughters and two sons.

While Lauren Smith Gafford has not shared details about the untimely passing of her beloved husband, Joel Gafford, as she continues to grieve his loss, she posted a beautiful picture of him with their six children on her social media.

Talking about Lauren’s professional life, she is a registered nurse and director of clinical operations at Sedgwick in New Albany, Mississippi.

Lauren has been working with Sedgwick for over nine years. Prior to that, she served as a registered nurse at Baptist Memorial Health Care for almost three years.

Moreover, she earned her Bachelor of Science and Nursing degree from the University of Mississippi in 2013.

In addition to his wife, Lauren, and six kids, Joel Gafford is survived by his parents, Sandra Clayton and George Gafford, sister Jill, brother, and the whole family.

Joel Gafford’s family has yet to provide details about his funeral and memorial services.

In Case You Didn’t Know

• The late Joel Gafford played at Northeast Community College, where he was an All-State and All-Region selection.
• He played collegiate baseball at Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Mississippi, from 2007 to 2009.