Nashua South assistant football coach Bill Monsen works with a player at a preseason practice a few years ago. Monsen passed away Tuesday after suffering complications following a heart attack on Thanksgiving. (Telegraph file photo)

NASHUA — The Nashua sports community is in mourning as longtime Nashua High School South assistant football coach and former Panthers boys head lacrosse coach Bill Monsen passed away late Tuesday afternoon due to complications from a medical episode suffered on Thanksgiving morning.

“Words cannont explain the pain of our loss of Billy Monsen,” the Nashua South Football twitter account posted Tuesday night. “He was a great teacher and coach and an even better person. Please keep him and his family in your prayers. RIP Mons.”

Monsen, a graduate of the unified Nashua High School, had been the South offensive coordinator the last several years, and had been on the football staff for 18 years. He was the South boys lacrosse coach for 10 seasons but stepped down at the end of last season. He has been a teacher at Nashua South the last eight years.