Susan Petersen Lubow died on Oct. 5, 2015, at age 61, of Locust Valley, after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. Beloved mother of Sarah Jayne, cherished daughter of Hazel Petersen and the late Walter Petersen, loving sister of the late Bruce Petersen and devoted wife of Stuart Lubow for 24 years.
An accomplished swimmer, she was a two time NYS Open Champion and an inductee into the Metropolitan Swimming Hall of Fame and a qualifier for the 1972 Olympic trials. She attended Springfield College, where she was an All-American Swimmer and was subsequently inducted as one of the first women into the Springfield College Hall of Fame. A pioneer in women sports, she was the first female to coach a men’s team at a federal academy. She produced many national swimmers and several division champions. She also was the first woman to be athletic director at a federal academy and held the position for 25 years. Under her guidance, she brought the United States Merchant Marine Academy to athletic prominence. She was inducted into the USSMA Hall of Fame in 2014.
On a national level, Sue was the head manager of the World Games in Perth, Australia and also a manager of the Pan American Games. She was head of NCAA Divisions I, II and III Swimming Rules Committee for over 20 years. She chaired many committees for the East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC), including chairing the football committee, another first for a woman. She was in the inaugural class of the ECAC Hall of Fame.
Additionally, in 1998 she was presented with the ECAC Administrator of the Year Award and in 2013, the Katherine Ley Award as a strong proponent of women’s issues in athletics. Many more honors have been bestowed upon her. Her giving did not stop there.
Susan was a member of the Locust Valley School Board and an elder and treasurer of the First Presbyterian Church of Oyster Bay. All these accolades pale, however, to the joy she felt watching her beautiful daughter, Sarah, grow and excel academically, athletically and musically.
A memorial service will be held at the Mariner’s Chapel at the USMMA Kings Point on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to the First Presbyterian Church of Oyster Bay, 60 E. Main St., Oyster Bay, NY 11771 and/or Pancreatic Cancer Research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, C/O Development Office, 1 Bung Town Rd., Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, would be appreciated. For further information, visit www.oysterbayfuneralhome.com.
