Tom Barnabo was the defensive line coach at Grand View.
Tom Barnabo, a longtime assistant football coach at Grand View and an original member of the program’s staff, died Saturday morning, according to his son, Dalton Barnabo. Barnabo,57, was in charge of the defensive line but had been away from the team and the school while in self quarantine after testing positive for the coronavirus. He was also a physical education teacher at Dowling Catholic. Dowling Catholic informed students, teachers and parents of Barnabo’s death on Saturday, writing that he had died from COVID-19. Dalton Barnabo told The Register Saturday that the family was still waiting for an official cause of death. Tom Barnabo had previous coaching stops in Iowa at Simpson College and Urbandale High School. He previously worked as a defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Maroons, helping them to back-to-back state titles in 2000 and 2001. Barnabo, who also worked as an assistant boys‘ track coach at Dowling Catholic, played college football at Drake from 1982-87.
