MAUD LEPLEY
February 2, 1904 -February 13, 2011
Maud Lepley exhorted her basketball teams to "never give up," which was woven into the movie The Heart of the Game. It took 107 years before old age finally overcame her positive can-do spirit on Feb. 13, 2011. She was born Feb. 2, 1904, the eldest of five children of Theodore Levee Meyers and Rosa May Pfahler in Leipsic, Ohio. In elementary school she dealt with dyslexia by memorizing her lessons, especially poems, one of the joys of her life. In 1926 she graduated from Hiram College and then became a high school teacher where she taught English literature, history, and home economics, and she coached girls' basketball, always taking her team to the tournaments. When Maud married Ray Lepley in 1930, she had to give up her teaching career as was the custom of that era. They moved to Peoria, IL where Ray headed the Philosophy Department of Bradley University and became Dean of the Graduate School in 1947. The first years brought salary reductions and utilized her home economics skills including sewing and canning. While raising their growing family (Molly (Gray), Arthur and Paul), she was active in the Faculty Wives', Universalist Church, Union Mother's Club, and book review groups. She tutored many students in math, in which she excelled. From the middle 1960's, Maud cared for Ray during his decline with Parkinson's until his death in 1973. During that time she learned to drive. After his death she devoted even more attention to visiting her grandchildren -making cookies, reciting poems, playing Canasta, and instilling in them her love of nature. In 1990 she moved to Queen Anne to escape the Illinois winters and to be close to the youngest two of her ten grandchildren. She joined seniors' groups and tutored in schools, earning the distinction of being the oldest tutor in Seattle Public Schools. At 98 Maud applied for her first passport and visited London and Wales. At 99 she saw Rome, Florence and Assisi. She especially enjoyed seeing the Rosetta stone and the Roman Forum. At 103 when the cartilage of her knee wore out, she had to slow down, but always with a smile on her face. Wherever Maud went and whomever she met, she impressed everyone with her positive energy and youthful joy of life. She maintained her health through proper nutrition, daily exercise, and lots of friends. She was mentally
sharp until the end. As she often said, "I have lived a marvelous life." All of her children, grandchildren (Dan Gray, Rain Gray, Carolyn Lance, Allen Gray, Margaret, Jo, Jenny Mullins, Richard, Nathan, Jay), and great grandchildren (seven) survive her, along with many extended family members. Before her death, Maud asked that memorials be directed to Hiram College
(Hiram, OH) or The Salvation Army (Seattle). There will be no formal gathering.[[In-content Ad]]
