Sally Pfund coaching the MHS volleyball team during their victory Tuesday over Antigo at the MHS Fieldhouse. Photos by Jamie Taylor

The MHS volleyball team was stunned Thursday night by the death of its coach Sally Pfund from complications of a stroke she suffered while undergoing surgery for an aneurysm at St. Joseph Hospital in Marshfield on Wednesday afternoon.

Merrill Area Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Lisa Snyder, MHS principal Shannon Murray and Activities Director Jordan Sinz announced Pfund’s passing Friday morning at a press conference. She was 49 and leaves behind a husband and two adult daughters.

Murray said Pfund’s memorial service will be held in the high school fieldhouse at 8 p.m. Wednesday with visitation from 5 p.m. until the start of the service.

“The family has asked that we have the funeral at the high school and we are honoring that request,” he said.

Murray said that Pfund’s loss is a big one for the high school and the community.

“Sally, of course, was young, vibrant and to have her taken away at this time is a big loss for us. She was an outstanding teacher, obviously an outstanding coach,” he said. “She was involved in everything at Merrill High School, ran the pool, and had the only athletic training co-op in the state of Wisconsin. And so she had her hands in a lot of things, and her loss is going to be felt in Merrill for a long, long time. She will be greatly, greatly missed.”

The volleyball team, which is currently at 35-2 on the season, cancelled their away match Thursday at Marshfield in honor of Pfund. They have one remaining regular season game Tuesday in Medford and then the second half Great Northern Conference tournament at Lakeland next Saturday. Sinz said that Brad Campbell, who has been Pfund’s varsity assistant coach since 2006 will take over in that capacity for the rest of the season.

“Sally had a great deal of trust in him and I know she felt comfortable with Brad working with her in that capacity,” Sinz said.

Murray said that Pfund mentioned to Sinz and himself at Tuesday’s home volleyball match against Antigo that she had a headache.

“In her style, she was downplaying it, you know, she had a headache. Wednesday morning she came in and arranged for a substitute teacher, went to the walk-in clinic and they did some testing, discovered an aneurysm and flew her down to Marshfield to St. Joseph Hospital. They did the surgery Wednesday afternoon and the complications of the surgery led to her death,” he said.

Murray said that short-term solutions to filling the many roles Pfund played at the high school have been made.

“Sally was a go-getter and was always on the front of everything she did. So she taught an athletic training co-op which was the only one in the State of Wisconsin,” Murray said. “She taught an aquatics class, which is a Red Cross certified course. So finding replacements for those people will be very difficult. For the short term, we have solutions internally. But as a tribute to Sally, she always provided the best for our kids and provided those opportunities.

“I’d also like to mention, again as a tribute to Sally, that she has left everything in excellent order. Everything, be it varsity volleyball or club volleyball, or her courses, be it the pool management or the training co-op, it is all taken care of.”

A large contingent of members of the varsity volleyball team and their parents were at the hospital Thursday. Grief counselors have been available and will continue to be for the next few days.

“I would like to mention that we have received a lot of support from other schools, other principals and the WIAA. In coaching and teaching you impact so many lives. Sally is obviously a known entity in Volleyball throughout the State of Wisconsin; she was very, very involved at both the high school level and as Mr. Sinz pointed out, at the club level. We appreciate the support we have been receiving from all the other schools,” Murray said.

The MHS football team added decals with Pfund's initials to their helmets for Friday's football game at Tomahawk. The Hatchet's PA announcer also led the crowd in a moment of silence in her honor.