Latest southern Colorado news, weather and sports from FOX21 News

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- He was the Air Force Academy head football coach for 23 years. His winning percentage: best in school history.

He's a three-time national Coach of the Year. Enshrined in three football Halls of Fame.

The sometimes controversial, mostly beloved and always a fan favorite, Fisher Deberry now divides his time between South Carolina and Oklahoma.

He's a big deal when it comes to football, but you'll discover he's an even bigger man with a giant heart in matters off the field.

FOX21 News asked if he considers himself a living legend.

"Well, when I hear that word legend it makes me feel old and makes me think of old people," joked DeBerry.

FOX21 News reporter Craig Coffey then asked what he thought his wife would say.

"I think she'd probably say I'm old. She would certainly remind me that I'm not a legend in her sight. That's for sure. She keeps me pretty humble," laughed DeBerry.

Fisher and his wife of 44 years, LuAnn, are both very active in many charities. His own foundation dedicates itself to the support and education of single moms and their children. It provides development and mentoring programs, after-school activities and academic scholarships: a cause inspired by his own life.

"I grew up with a single parent, in a single-parent family and I didn't know we didn't have anything. We had a whole lot of love in our family. But you know, I just have the greatest respect in the world for parents who carry the torch and bare the burden of raising a family by themselves," added DeBerry.

The ex-longtime football coach said the best part of retirement is all the time spent with his grandchildren, especially when they get his best on the golf course.

"Of course it's not that much to beat me. When they do beat me it aggravates me a little bit," said DeBerry.

Asked if he still likes to win, he laughed, "Oh, heck, yeah."

Fisher's been known for always having something to say with a unique delivery. He's never short on words. So, FOX21 News did a quick rundown of Fisher's words of wisdom.

Retirement:  "Retirement is for lazy people."

Work:  "Work is something you're supposed to have fun doing."

Charity: Charity is you. It's who you are and how you feel about other people. I really think the main purpose we have in life and the reason we're on this earth is to show our love and respect to help other people any way that we can. I think that's what life is all about. That's the essence of life."

Winning compared to losing: "I think sometimes the greatest lessons learned in life is when you lose. Jimmy Grobe, who's the head football coach at Wake Forest, used to laugh and say, 'You can take a loss and handle it better than anybody I've ever seen.' I think that's a real compliment rather than a put-down."

Family: "Family is the most important thing in life next to my Lord. I just feel like if there's one thing that I really want to do is to not leave this earth saying, 'Boy I wish I had an opportunity to spend more time with my family,' because that's why you have retirement in life."

The secret to marriage: "The secret to marriage is saying, 'Yes ma'am.' No! I think it's love and I think it's the way you go about expressing yourself and being able to simply say 'I love you' and mean it."

Fisher says after his 44 years of coaching, he doesn't fell like he's worked a day in his life and enjoyed every bit of it."

He feels very grateful to have had his career at the Air Force Academy and cherishes all the memories and friends he's made during his time in Colorado.

Click on the camera icon to view the story as it aired on FOX21 News.