Obituary: Sallie Secor Reynolds, Physical Education Director

Obituary from Conte Funeral Home.

Sallie Secor Reynolds passed away on April 11, 2015. Sallie’s brother, nephew and all 4 children were by her side in her last hours. Sallie was born in White Plains New York to Dorothy Kirk (Scripture) Secor and Chancey Tompkins Secor on June 3rd 1924. Sallie attended both public and private schools in White Plains New York and graduated from Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA with degrees in physical education and health.

Sallie loved the outdoors, athletics and introducing new sports and activities to children of all ages. She and her husband Ed skied Colorado and upon having children taught all of 4 of them to ski as soon as they could walk. Sallie worked as Physical Education Director at the YWCA in Lawrence. She also volunteered at the YMCA in Lawrence and Andover, coaching both competitive swim team as well as synchronized swimming. She assisted in choreographing swim shows to musicals such as the Sound of Music, the Wizard of Oz and many others.

At Camp Evergreen in Andover, Sallie directed the summer swim program. She had two achievements she was most proud of while there; 1st she taught Bobby Verette of Andover, a blind teen, to swim. 2nd while at camp Sallie and was called on to successfully save a drowning individual from the pond across the way. Sallie’s camp experience extended to the Andover Girl Scout Camp Maud Eaton where she directed both day and overnight camping for several summers. Sallie had an open door policy during the summers; all were welcomed at their lake homes to enjoy the woods, water skiing, sailing and fishing. As youngsters the family has fond memories of summer camping trips to Sebago Lake, a summer cottage at Province Lake and the retirement homes at both Lovell Lake in New Hampshire and Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. In their retirement, Sallie and Ed golfed, boated, swam and entertained.

Sallie accepted the position of Physical Education teacher at Lawrence High school, and in 1969 started girl’s intermural basketball. In 1992, Sallie was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame of Lawrence High School; quoted as “The woman who is credited as the driving force behind the woman’s inter-scholastic athletic program at Lawrence High School”. Her biggest thrill was when Lawrence Girls placed third out of 34 teams in the Billerica Tournament and won the Sportsmanship Award. Good sportsmanship was something Sallie held in very high regard, writing a poem called ‘Losing with a Smile’. Sallie went onto introduce other sports to the women’s program at Lawrence High that included, softball, volleyball, badminton, golf, gymnastics and swimming.

Sallie played competitive golf where she felt woman and men had a more equal footing. She enjoyed many years as Club Champion at Five Chimney’s Golf Course at Province Lake, NH; she competed at Doral and was awarded a gold plated putter. Sallie got a hole in one on the Kingswood Course in Wolfeboro NH. Sallie also enjoyed bird watching, gardening, hosting and attending bridge club, church suppers, entertaining and cooking with family and friends.

She was predeceased by her late husband Edward C Reynolds in 1996.

She is survived by her Brother, William C Secor of Orleans MA and his son Daniel and wife Mary of Brewster MA. Children, Bruce A Reynolds and wife Joy of Andover; Carroll A Reynolds and wife Donna of Maryland; Sallie R Diamond, husband Rick, granddaughter Sabrina and partner Vollie, grandson Thomas and wife Hannah all of Texas; Daughter Anne R Lamontagne, husband Leo, grandson Troy, granddaughter Ashley all of Andover; several beloved nieces and nephews.

Sallie’s family would like to thank the Staff at Edgewood in North Andover for their outstanding care.

Family and Friends are invited to Christ Church, 33 Central Street, Andover MA. for a Memorial Service on Thursday, April 16th at 6:00PM with reception in the parish hall to follow. In Lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Eleanor Frost Snell, Chair of health and physical education fund. Checks can be made to Ursinus College with a notation in the memo line referencing Sallie Secor Reynolds and mailed 601 East Main Street, Collegeville, PA 19426. To sign the family guest book, please visit www.contefuneralhomes.com

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Conte Funeral Home, 28 Florence Street, Andover.