Sperry Jones Rademaker
1939 - 2005
1939 - 2005
Sperry Rademaker was able to beat all kinds of opponents when she was swimming, race walking, kayak paddling, playing table tennis and running long distances. She spent a lifetime competing with quiet dignity and could have taught a few things about behavior to many professional superstars.
Sadly, the Floral City resident couldn't run or swim toward the end of her athletic career. Rademaker was fighting ovarian cancer for several years, and her husband, of 38 years, Jack, helped her in the battle. Unfortunately, Rademaker, 65, lost the fight, as she passed away late Monday. She's survived by her husband, a son, Paul, of Fountain, Colorado.; and a daughter, Marcia Smoke, of Buchanan, Michigan.
Sperry Rademaker was one of those rare talents, able to excel in a number of activities. Some local sports figures honored the remarkable woman on January. 20, presenting her the Colon D. Joiner Lifetime Achievement Award. Rademaker, who lived in Floral City for more than 30 years, was a charter member of the Citrus Road Runners. Chris Moling, the club's president, admired Rademaker as much for what she didn't do as what she did. "Sperry was the quiet competitor," Moling said. "For someone with the resume she had, you would expect someone more boastful. She had such a presence. "She was a great athlete at several sports," Moling said. "She was always humble, never proud. She never acted like she was one of the best athletes there, but she was." Many of today's pros practically wear neon signs that scream, "look at me." Not Rademaker. "You can tell who the elites are at events," Moling said. "She never acted that way. She was very helpful, very friendly. "She wasn't a social creature. She was a competitive athlete. She didn't talk a lot before a race. She would be warming up while others talked."
Rademaker probably didn't realize the way others appreciated her. "She was looked upon and looked up to as an inspiration," Moling said. "She wasn't aware of 99 percent of them. If you asked Sperry how many people she inspired, she would undershoot the number." Rademaker's resume is practically overwhelming. She set a national swimming record in the 50-yard butterfly while at Wellesley College. In graduate school, she discovered running. She later picked up race walking and competed on a national level. As a kayaker, Rademaker appeared in two Olympics. She finished seventh in doubles at the 1968 Games in Mexico City. She also participated in the 1972 Munich competition. Rademaker was scheduled to coach in the 1976 Moscow Olympics, but U.S. athletes were not allowed to compete due to a ban established by the American government.
Rademaker captured about 30 national masters swimming championships and 25-30 national kayaking titles. Rademaker and her husband competed in a number of marathon canoeing events, winning the open whitewater nationals twice. Not long ago, she set five records at the Florida Senior Games and was selected the outstanding female athlete. Rademaker was the Oklahoma archery champion as a teenager and competed in national table tennis events.
More importantly, in the race that's a human life, Rademaker already was a proven, dignified winner.
Larry Bugg