State College community residents and fans of former Penn State University football head coach , Joe Paterno, have scheduled a vigil, Tuesday, to mark his first death anniversary.

However, Paterno's family will not be taking part in the vigil. He died of lung cancer at the age of 85.

Paterno's exit from the university shocked many of his fans, alumni, former players and well-wishers. He was accused in a child sex abuse scandal involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

The ouster of the coach was sparked by findings from an internal investigation led by former FBI director Louis Freeh that partly blamed Paterno, last summer

Sandusky was convicted in June for molesting 10 boys over 15 years. He was found guilty of 45 out of 48 allegations against him.

In July, Paterno was accused of concealing allegations against Sandusky.

The management made a call to him Nov. 9, 2011, just two months before his death and said that his services were no longer required.

"There could have been better ways of dismissing him than what happened that night," Jim Meister, president of the Penn State Quarterback Club, 2005- 2006, told Center Daily.

The phone call incident attracted a lot of criticism about how the trustees handled it.

Paterno was one of the most influential college coaches, who spent 61 years of his life in the university, teaching students how to become good football players. He also helped build the university's baseball stadium.

"All the good he did for his school and his community: That's what I think he'll be remembered for," David Godiska, owner of the Northampton Piano Co. curio shop, North Atherton Street told the newspaper.

"I think and still believe he was innocent," Meister said. "Knowing him and the disciplinarian that he was, the thought that he would protect a pedophile is beyond anything I can imagine."

The National Collegiate Athletic Association imposed strict sanctions on the university - a four-year bowl ban, strict scholarship cuts and a $60 million fine on the university.

In addition, the college sports' governing body erased 111 wins under Paterno, which was part of his college record of 409 career victories.

"The whole situation was bizarre," Fran Fisher, former executive director of the Nittany Lion Club, told the newspaper. "In a short space of time, you had the Sandusky charges, the firing of Joe and then the death of Joe. I'm not sure any university or athletic department will go through a thing such as this."