PARKERSBURG - Ed Thomas is still leading the way.

Aplington-Parkersburg's legendary football coach died Wednesday in the high school weight room, allegedly shot by a former player in front of about 30 students.

A day later, community members acknowledge they are still in shock. But they also maintain they will rally around each other, much as they did after a deadly tornado 13 months ago destroyed about a third of the town.

Thomas' positive attitude and forward thinking inspired two state champion football teams. Friends and colleagues also credit Thomas for sparking Parkersburg's recovery after last year's natural disaster.

Community members will follow Thomas' example to cope with his death.

"Ed would tell us, 'You guys go on,'" said Judy Pruisner, Thomas' friend and a member of his church.

Mark Becker, 24, allegedly shot Thomas multiple times with a handgun at about 7:45 a.m. Wednesday. Thomas died a short time later at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo.

Authorities have not revealed a motive for the killing.

Becker is charged with first-degree murder in Butler County. He is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail in Mason City on $1 million bond, cash only.

Thomas' funeral is set for 10:30 a.m. Monday at First Congregational Church in Parkersburg.

Many people - young and old - are having a difficult time processing the tragedy, according to mental health counselors helping students in Parkersburg. The service will be an important step in the community's healing process, they said. Sharing emotions and getting back to some type of daily routine will also help.

Ken Zimmerman, a clinical social worker for Pathway's Behavioral Services in Waterloo and member of the Iowa Disaster Behavioral Health Team, got to know Thomas while helping citizens recover emotionally after the tornado.

"He wanted to see Parkersburg move on," Zimmerman said. "Being together as a community is another message the coach had … Be strong together."

That means doing the little things, like saying hello to a neighbor or giving someone a hug if needed. Not being afraid to cry on someone's shoulder or listening to a friend's stories about the coach are other ways to cope with his death.

"That's a particularly important thing right now," Zimmerman said.

Thomas encouraged people to use their strengths, he added. In Parkersburg's case, that is togetherness.

Support

Aplington-Parkersburg Superintendent Jon Thompson said Thomas, with the district since 1975, taught a leadership class every year. Thomas stressed students be there for one another and that every journey begins with a step.

"Look to a teammate and colleagues for support," Thompson said Thomas would counsel.

Thomas was revered in the community and statewide for his leadership and compassion, and dealing with his death will take time, Thompson said. Counselors will be available for as long as necessary, he added.

"We have experience in this. It's tough, but A-P will move forward," Thompson said.

Thomas would want normalcy to return as quickly as possible, Thompson said. To honor his memory and accelerate the healing process, Thompson said school activities - which were suspended indefinitely Wednesday - will resume after Thomas' funeral.

The Crisis Response Team from Area Education Agency 267 is also at Parkersburg Elementary with personnel from Pathways. A special counseling session was held late Thursday afternoon for students who witnessed the shooting and their parents.

The role of the team is to provide emotional support and tools to help students deal with problems, said Stan Hanus, a school psychologist and crisis team member.

"We're still in the phase of getting through hour-by-hour. Over time, people will get through it," he said.

Some suggestions by counselors to achieve peace include:

- Play therapy for children, which helps kids deal with emotions in a nonthreatening fashion

- Journals for teens, who may find writing about feelings therapeutic

- One-on-one or group therapy sessions

- A healthy body, maintaining adequate sleep, exercise and diet

- Art, which lets kids express feelings. Counselors suggested giving the artwork to Thomas' family.

- Emotions, expressing feelings of sadness, anger or guilt

Zimmerman said the incident violated basic assumptions of life: People believe bad things shouldn't happen to good people, and school should be a safe place.

Those two foundations were shattered, Zimmerman said, so naturally some people may have a hard time coping.

"'Why am I angry or despondent' comes from thinking 'I've been violated," Zimmerman said. "Talking helps. Make a plan and take that step forward as coach would say."

Eileen Krusey's children graduated from Aplington-Parkersburg, and one son is now a football coach in another school district. He considers Thomas a mentor.

Krusey is the librarian at the Aplington Public Library. She said people in her community are mourning along with their neighbors to the east.

"When one hurts, the other hurts. It's A-P now," Krusey said.