Gus Manning, the last remaining administrative link with direct ties to Gen. Robert R. Neyland, passed away Sunday in his hometown of Knoxville. He was 99.

Tennessee announced Manning’s death on Monday, and outlined his contributions to UT Athletics. Manning developed a reputation as a sharp administrator and a symbol of East Tennessee charm and hospitality. He was a longtime fixture at SEC functions and championship events and provided trusted counsel to several league commissioners.

He retired in 2000 after close to 50 years of full-time service to UT, and he later maintained an office in Thompson-Boling Arena until 2017 and held the title of Consultant Athletics Director until his passing. He served 8 ADs and 11 head football coaches during his career at UT.

“This is a tremendous loss,” longtime friend and former Tennessee football coach and administrator Phillip Fulmer said. “We’ve lost a major piece of Tennessee history. Gus Manning is an icon. His personality and humor made him a pleasure to be around. And his historical knowledge about all that makes Tennessee Athletics special was second-to-none. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

Rick Barnes also shared his memories of Manning, and said he was fortunate to get to know Manning when Barnes first arrived, and that Manning embraced Barnes and took him in.

A notable accomplishment for Manning was that he attended an incredible 608 consecutive Tennessee football games—home, away and neutral-site contests—until an accident while en route to see the Vols play at Kentucky in November 2003 caused him to return to Knoxville and miss that UT victory.

Here’s more of his early background at Tennessee, according to UT:

Neyland—who, in addition to serving as head football coach also served three stints as AD and occupied that post until his passing in 1962—remembered Manning as a T-formation quarterback at Rule High and hired him as a practice-field guard in 1946 upon.

Already a young war veteran, Manning enrolled as a student at UT in 1947 and walked on to the football team. He earned a varsity letter with the baseball Vols in 1948 and graduated from the university in 1950.

Manning was promoted to Director of Sports Publicity in 1951 (making him the athletic department’s first male, non-coach, full-time employee), and from there he quickly ascended to become Neyland’s top aide as his duties steadily expanded to include oversight of the ticket office, business office, event management, facilities and more.