Tom Hengel celebrated 100 seasons of coaching in front of a banner created by his wife Lisa in 2021. The couple was killed on Jan. 17.
The deaths of legendary and beloved high-school sports coach Thomas Hengel and his wife Lisa have devastated the Clearview, Mantua and Mullica Hill communities.
“They were loving, supportive and devoted to each other and to the people they touched,” wrote Andrea Eppehimer in a Facebook post.
The couple was killed on the evening of Jan. 17 after their SUV struck a house on Banff Drive in Mullica Hill and ignited a fire that caused the home and the vehicle to burn. Hengel, who was 72, and his wife, 61, died at the scene. Investigators with the Harrison Township Police Department believe the crash was accidental and either a health emergency or gas pedal problem caused it. A viewing took place on Jan. 24 at the Church of the Incarnation in Mantua and was followed by a private interment.
“As an educator and coach, Tom impacted generations of students, teaching far more than academics or athletics,” the Clearview Regional High School District noted in a statement.
Hengel coached at Clearview High from 1981 until his retirement in 2025. While managing spring and winter track for boys and girls, he reached a cumulative total of 100 seasons in 2021, according to an article in The Sun at the time. He also coached cross country, basketball and baseball.
Lisa Hengel was described as “loving” to those who knew her.
“While we mourn Lisa’s warmth and grace alongside Tom’s fierce guidance, I want to speak especially about the man we knew as Coach Hengel,” Eppehimer recalled. “The one who followed us around town in his van on our long run days, never knowing around which corner he would appear; who stood trackside with his clipboard, whistle and stopwatch making sure you hit your splits; and who believed in us when we could barely believe in ourselves.
“Coach Hengel lived and breathed discipline,” she added. “He showed up, rain or shine, on the good days and the off days, committed to his teams with a consistency that never wavered. “He didn’t just teach us how to run, he taught us how to show up for life – no excuses, no shortcuts.
“He taught perseverance, mental toughness, personal accountability and the importance of character,” said the Clearview statement. “His belief in students was ever present, and that belief changed and shaped the lives of generations of students and athletes.
“Together, he and his wife Lisa lived with kindness, humility and a deep commitment to others,” it continued. “Their presence will be greatly missed, but their legacy will live on in the countless lives they touched.”
It is believed the accident that killed the couple occurred when Tom Hengel lost control of his vehicle and it suddenly accelerated, hitting a curb, crossing over two yards and crashing into the Banff Drive home. The impact caused a fire that engulfed both the house and the Hengels’ vehicle.
The home’s residents evacuated safely without any injuries, but the structure is now uninhabitable. The accident remains under investigation by the Harrison Township Police Department.
Meanwhile, other social media posts evoked what made the Hengels special.
“If it wasn’t for him, my daughter would’ve never won State her senior year in high school for the hurdles,” said Marie Sheehan Lenkowski. “He was the best.”
“Tom and Lisa were both former students of mine, and I was very fortunate to have known Tom as a highly respected colleague, as a teacher and as a coach,” observed Donald Bills. “His dedication to Clearview, to his students, to his players and to his athletic programs, was unparalleled.
“Tom and Lisa always shall be fondly remembered as beloved members of the Clearview community.”
