KENNESAW — Jeffrey “Jay” Ingram Jr. will be remembered as a “rock star” who loved children, says his friends and family.

Ingram, 32, of Kennesaw, died Friday at WellStar Kennestone Hospital from injuries he suffered a day earlier. Cobb Police said Ingram was struck by a 2012 Chevrolet Traverse, driven by a Doraville man, while jogging before dawn Thursday on North Booth Road near Junction Drive in Kennesaw. No charges have been filed in the case.

Corinne Ingram, his wife of 10 years, said children were a major part of Jay Ingram’s life. Along with raising his own children — Aiden, 7, and Kailyn, 3 — Ingram was a physical education teacher at Kennesaw Charter Science and Math Academy and a youth soccer coach.

“He just liked their innocence,” Corinne Ingram said. “He was a big kid himself. He didn’t care what anybody thought about him, and he lived life to the fullest.”

Jay Ingram was a native of Conyers and graduate of Georgia State University. He lived in Kennesaw for 12 years.

In 2003, he started at the then-new Kennesaw Charter School. Lori Hardegree, the chairwoman of the school’s board, said Jay Ingram was a “bright, shining, happy fixture” every day at the school.

“Jay provides the kind of role model every parent hopes our children will find to look up to,” she said. “Our students referred to him only as ‘coach,’ and he had the kind of ‘rock star status’ that was fitting that kind of no-last name title.”

Hardegree said Jay Ingram was active in planning the school’s new building, which will open after spring break. The school is discussing ways to honor him at the new facility.

Corinne Ingram, who is a special education teacher at the charter school, said he was “a very big prankster” who would put caution tape around coworkers’ desks, among other antics.

Jay Ingram was also known to change up his hair and facial hair, even sporting a mohawk at times, his wife said.

He was also heavily involved in his church, Living Hope in Kennesaw. He worked with a youth group there and led a small Bible study group.

“He was a guy who truly loved to live,” said Megan Gentry, a member of his Bible study group and teacher at Open Arms, a child development center at the church. “His passion was to show and shine the light of Jesus to everyone. He was real, he didn’t take anything too seriously and he always had a lot of fun.”

Jay Ingram always gave thanks for what he had, Corinne Ingram said.

The soccer players Jay Ingram worked with for 12 years, boys and girls between 10 and 18, will never forget him, said Dave Smith, executive director of the North Atlanta Soccer Association.

“He had a huge impact on the lives of the kids,” Smith said. “He was easily the most popular coach in our club.”

Even people in other soccer organizations were fond of Jay Ingram, Smith said.

“He will be genuinely missed,” he said. “He was a very special individual.”

Along with his wife and children, Jay Ingram is survived by his mother, Susie Payne; his father, Jeff Ingram; his father and mother in-law, Frank and Lynn Martuscello; brothers Matt Payne, Bo Hanson and Kyle Ingram; sister, Kasey Pitts; and grandfathers Eli Ingram and Robert Forgay.

Jay Ingram’s funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Living Hope Church, 3450 Stilesboro Road in Kennesaw. Friends and family are asking mourners to wear yellow, his favorite color.

The family asked that instead of flowers, donations be made at Bank of America to the Jay Ingram Family Benefit Contribution Account.