Gracie VanDyck Obituary Gracie Lee VanDyck Portsmouth － Gracie Lee VanDyck, 86, died Friday July 26, 2013. She was a lifelong resident of Portsmouth. She was predeceased by loving parents Mary and Frank Van Dyck and all of her siblings: Rev. Dr. Frank Van Dyck, Jr., Elizabeth Robertson, Benton Van Dyck, and Mary Louise Powers. Gracie Lee loved the Lord. Throughout her life she was an active Methodist. She attended Sunday school and church every Sunday starting as a child and continued to do so until the final weeks of her life. At the time of her death she served as the Centenary United Methodist church treasurer and Sunday school record keeper, and she proofed the weekly bulletin. Gracie Lee loved her family. Affectionately known as DeDe by her many nieces and nephews, she instilled in them many of her traits: love, affection, generosity, humor, determination, tenacity, competitiveness, fairness, and honesty. Her fun-loving nature led them on many adventures to amusement parks, beaches, parades, and athletic events. She loved to have them and their friends over to eat, play games, spend the night in the attic, and just have fun. Having fun meant going crabbing, making ice cream, going to her gym, playing in her swimming pool, taking midnight rides, staying up WAY past our bedtime and getting driving lessons. Like her parents before her, she always loved Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. No one enjoyed giving more than DeDe. In addition to preparing a feast, she filled the living room with presents for everyone. Her clam dip and chocolate chip cookies were legendary. Gracie Lee was a pioneering figure in Virginia women's high school sports. Upon graduation from Wilson High School in 1943 she entered Madison College (now James Madison University), where she majored in physical education. For four years she played softball, basketball and field hockey. She was inducted into the JMU Hall of Fame in 1991. In her very first year as a physical education teacher at Churchland High School she started a girls basketball program. With no other local girls' teams and no budget, she forged relationships as far away as Benedictine in Richmond, paying for uniforms and equipment by selling candy. She arranged transportation with the girls' parents and jockeyed with the male coaches for court times. Every year she battled with the other coaches on behalf of her girls to establish their turf. It took nearly fifteen years for her to get a school bus for the girls' games. While at CHS she also sponsored the cheerleading squads, the monogram club, and several other organizations. Beginning in the early 1960s she began simultaneously coaching girls basketball at Portsmouth Catholic. For the balance of her career, her Catholic girls and her public school girls had an annual basketball showdown in which she coached each team for one half. In 1968 she left CHS to teach and coach at the new Western Branch High School. She continued coaching girls basketball and sponsoring cheerleading squads, as well as coaching softball. She led her softball teams to 129 victories and three district titles. In 1987, she won her 500th basketball game. At that time, there were no female coaches and only one male coach in Virginia with 500 wins. When she retired in 1988 she had compiled an astonishing 517-271-2 record in basketball. She had become one of the most influential coaches in Virginia high school sports. She was the first female coach to serve as coordinator of the Southeastern Conference and was the VHSL coach of the year in 1987. She was the only woman inducted with the charter class of the VHSL Hall of Fame in 1990, was inducted into the Chesapeake Hall of Fame in 1988, and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. Never afraid of work or commitment, Gracie Lee sold programs at the PIT for nearly fifty years and supported the efforts of the Portsmouth Sports Club in many ways. She was a former Member of the Year and one of only two women to hold the esteemed Life Member status. At the time of her death she served on the club's board of directors and was the vice-president of the Portsmouth Sports Club Foundation's executive committee. Gracie Lee will be remembered as a generous and fun-loving aunt, friend and coach. She is survived by Lori Davis, whom she loved like a daughter; her nieces and nephews Ned Van Dyck (Carolyn), Bill Van Dyck (Betty Carroll), Wayne VanDyck (Carlene), Michael Van Dyck (Kathy), Lelia VanDyck, Van Powers, and Lee Moore (Joe); numerous great-nieces and nephews; special friend Lambie Owen, and many other dear friends. Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, August 3 at 11 a. m. at Centenary United Methodist Church, Portsmouth, followed by interment at Olive Branch Cemetery and a reception at the church. She requested that all of her former ball players be honorary pall bearers. The family will receive friends on Friday evening, August 2, from 7-8:30 at Baker-Foster Funeral Home Bennett's Creek Chapel, 5685 Lee Farm Lane, Suffolk, VA 23435. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gracie Lee VanDyck Scholarship Fund, c/o the Portsmouth Sports Foundation Inc., P. O. Box 237, Portsmouth, Virginia 23705. Condolences may be registered at www.bakerfoster.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See also: 1) https://www.rwbakerfh.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?searchName=Gracie+Van+Dyck&page=1 2) https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/pilotonline/name/gracie-vandyck-obituary?id=11129977 3) https://www.pilotonline.com/obituaries/Gracie-Lee-VanDyck/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Narrative Summary of the Obituary: Gracie Lee VanDyck, a pioneering figure in Virginia women's high school sports, passed away on 26 July 2013 at age 86. She was a lifelong Methodist, active coach, and beloved aunt known as "DeDe" to her many nieces and nephews. ### Narrative Summary of Funeral Services: Funeral services for Gracie Lee VanDyck were held on 03 August 2013 at Centenary United Methodist Church in Portsmouth, followed by interment at Olive Branch Cemetery. Her former ball players served as honorary pallbearers. ## The Edited Obituary Gracie Lee VanDyck Portsmouth Gracie Lee VanDyck, 86, died Friday July 26, 2013. She was a lifelong resident of Portsmouth. She was predeceased by loving parents Mary and Frank Van Dyck and all of her siblings: Rev. Dr. Frank Van Dyck Jr., Elizabeth Robertson, Benton Van Dyck, and Mary Louise Powers. Gracie Lee loved the Lord. Throughout her life she was an active Methodist. She attended Sunday school and church every Sunday starting as a child and continued to do so until the final weeks of her life. At the time of her death she served as the Centenary United Methodist church treasurer and Sunday school record keeper, and she proofed the weekly bulletin. Gracie Lee loved her family. Affectionately known as DeDe by her many nieces and nephews, she instilled in them many of her traits: love, affection, generosity, humor, determination, tenacity, competitiveness, fairness, and honesty. Her fun-loving nature led them on many adventures to amusement parks, beaches, parades, and athletic events. She loved to have them and their friends over to eat, play games, spend the night in the attic, and just have fun. Having fun meant going crabbing, making ice cream, going to her gym, playing in her swimming pool, taking midnight rides, staying up WAY past our bedtime and getting driving lessons. Like her parents before her, she always loved Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. No one enjoyed giving more than DeDe. In addition to preparing a feast, she filled the living room with presents for everyone. Her clam dip and chocolate chip cookies were legendary. Gracie Lee was a pioneering figure in Virginia women's high school sports. Upon graduation from Wilson High School in 1943 she entered Madison College (now James Madison University), where she majored in physical education. For four years she played softball, basketball and field hockey. She was inducted into the JMU Hall of Fame in 1991. In her very first year as a physical education teacher at Churchland High School she started a girls basketball program. With no other local girls' teams and no budget, she forged relationships as far away as Benedictine in Richmond, paying for uniforms and equipment by selling candy. She arranged transportation with the girls' parents and jockeyed with the male coaches for court times. Every year she battled with the other coaches on behalf of her girls to establish their turf. It took nearly fifteen years for her to get a school bus for the girls' games. While at CHS she also sponsored the cheerleading squads, the monogram club, and several other organizations. Beginning in the early 1960s she began simultaneously coaching girls basketball at Portsmouth Catholic. For the balance of her career, her Catholic girls and her public school girls had an annual basketball showdown in which she coached each team for one half. In 1968 she left CHS to teach and coach at the new Western Branch High School. She continued coaching girls basketball and sponsoring cheerleading squads, as well as coaching softball. She led her softball teams to 129 victories and three district titles. In 1987, she won her 500th basketball game. At that time, there were no female coaches and only one male coach in Virginia with 500 wins. When she retired in 1988 she had compiled an astonishing 517-271-2 record in basketball. She had become one of the most influential coaches in Virginia high school sports. She was the first female coach to serve as coordinator of the Southeastern Conference and was the VHSL coach of the year in 1987. She was the only woman inducted with the charter class of the VHSL Hall of Fame in 1990, was inducted into the Chesapeake Hall of Fame in 1988, and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. Never afraid of work or commitment, Gracie Lee sold programs at the PIT for nearly fifty years and supported the efforts of the Portsmouth Sports Club in many ways. She was a former Member of the Year and one of only two women to hold the esteemed Life Member status. At the time of her death she served on the club's board of directors and was the vice-president of the Portsmouth Sports Club Foundation's executive committee. Gracie Lee will be remembered as a generous and fun-loving aunt, friend and coach. She is survived by Lori Davis, whom she loved like a daughter; her nieces and nephews Ned Van Dyck (Carolyn), Bill Van Dyck (Betty Carroll), Wayne VanDyck (Carlene), Michael Van Dyck (Kathy), Lelia VanDyck, Van Powers, and Lee Moore (Joe); numerous great-nieces and nephews; special friend Lambie Owen, and many other dear friends. Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, August 3 at 11 a.m. at Centenary United Methodist Church, Portsmouth, followed by interment at Olive Branch Cemetery and a reception at the church. She requested that all of her former ball players be honorary pall bearers. The family will receive friends on Friday evening, August 2, from 7-8:30 at Baker-Foster Funeral Home Bennett's Creek Chapel, 5685 Lee Farm Lane, Suffolk, VA 23435. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gracie Lee VanDyck Scholarship Fund, c/o the Portsmouth Sports Foundation Inc., P. O. Box 237, Portsmouth, Virginia 23705. Condolences may be registered at www.bakerfoster.com. ### Vital Statistics Summary | Name | Gracie Lee VanDyck | |---------|-------------------------------------| | Age | 86 years | | Birth | 1927; Portsmouth, Virginia | | Death | 26 July 2013; Portsmouth, Virginia | ### Table of Relationships | Name | Relationship | Residence | |-----------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------------| | Gracie Lee VanDyck | Decedent | Portsmouth, Virginia | | Mary Van Dyck | Parent | Portsmouth, Virginia | | Frank Van Dyck | Parent | Portsmouth, Virginia | | Rev. Dr. Frank Van Dyck Jr. | Sibling | --- | | Elizabeth Robertson | Sibling | --- | | Benton Van Dyck | Sibling | --- | | Mary Louise Powers | Sibling | --- | | Lori Davis | Like a Daughter | --- | | Ned Van Dyck | Nephew | --- | | Carolyn Van Dyck | Nephew's Spouse | --- | | Bill Van Dyck | Nephew | --- | | Betty Carroll Van Dyck | Nephew's Spouse | --- | | Wayne VanDyck | Nephew | --- | | Carlene VanDyck | Nephew's Spouse | --- | | Michael Van Dyck | Nephew | --- | | Kathy Van Dyck | Nephew's Spouse | --- | | Lelia VanDyck | Niece | --- | | Van Powers | Nephew | --- | | Lee Moore | Nephew | --- | | Joe Moore | Nephew's Spouse | --- | | Lambie Owen | Special Friend | --- | ## Other Relevant Information 1. Gracie Lee VanDyck was a lifelong Methodist, attending Sunday school and church every week from childhood until the final weeks of her life. 2. She served as the treasurer and Sunday school record keeper at Centenary United Methodist Church, and proofed the weekly bulletin. 3. Gracie Lee VanDyck was a pioneering figure in Virginia women's high school sports, graduating from Wilson High School in 1943 and majoring in physical education at Madison College (now James Madison University). 4. She was inducted into the JMU Hall of Fame in 1991. 5. Gracie Lee VanDyck started the girls basketball program at Churchland High School in her first year as a physical education teacher. 6. She simultaneously coached girls basketball at Portsmouth Catholic beginning in the early 1960s. 7. Gracie Lee VanDyck won her 500th basketball game in 1987, becoming one of the most influential coaches in Virginia high school sports history. 8. She had an astonishing 517-271-2 record in basketball when she retired in 1988. 9. Gracie Lee VanDyck was the first female coach to serve as coordinator of the Southeastern Conference and was the VHSL coach of the year in 1987. 10. She was the only woman inducted with the charter class of the VHSL Hall of Fame in 1990, was inducted into the Chesapeake Hall of Fame in 1988, and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. 11. Gracie Lee VanDyck sold programs at the PIT for nearly fifty years and supported the efforts of the Portsmouth Sports Club in many ways. 12. She was a former Member of the Year and one of only two women to hold the esteemed Life Member status of the Portsmouth Sports Club.