obituaries GRUBER


Jane “Grubie” Gru-


ber lost her battle with multiple myeloma on Aug. 30, 2013, at the age of 61.


She was the


director of rehabilitation services at New- ton-Wellesley Hospital for 37 years and held a doctor of physical therapy degree. Grubie was heavily involved with the


synchronized skating community for decades as a physical therapist, trainer, mentor, moth- er and team doctor. She worked, without pay, directly with the Colonials and Team Excel as well as with other teams and skaters across the country. “For 18 years, we worked side by side,”


Merita Mullen, coach and director of Team Excel, said. “My job was to choreograph and coach, while hers was that of a healer, in every aspect of her professional expertise. “Eventually my teams qualified for the


Junior World Challenge Cup and Grubie was at my side, keeping my athletes in top physi- cal condition, again for love of the sport, love for my athletes and as a devoted volunteer.” She was a founding member of Team Ex-


cel, representing The Skating Club of Boston. Grubie attended every off-ice practice session for six teams until she suffered a crippling stroke.


“Her personal conviction was, and will


continue to be, something my athletes and I will honor,” Mullen said. “We wear bracelets that ask, ‘What would Grubie do?’ and we car- ry on.”


Grubie supported her skaters through


injuries, defeats and victories. She pushed her girls to work hard with relentless determina- tion to be the best athletes and young wom- en possible. Whether she was implement- ing training for high altitude, taping a wrist, treating a pulled muscle, counting down a five-minute plank, leading a focus session, taping a skater into her dress, or offering ca- reer advice, her priority was always the skat- er’s physical and mental health. She was ready at a moment’s notice,


especially during competitions. She would jump into action anytime there was an injury or emergency, no matter if it was a skater on her team or a competitor’s team.


correction


In the November issue on page 16, a story on the experiences of 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Leaders Lorrie Parker and Richard Dalley contained a factual error. Dalley didn’t skate with Judy Blumberg at the 1984 Olympic Games. He skated with Carol Fox and they finished fifth. Blumberg competed with Michael Seibert and they finished fourth. We apologize for the error.


SKATING 71


LARSON obituary appeared in the StarTribune Marlys Jean Larson, a longtime judge


and president of the Twin City Figure Skating Association, died Oct. 5, 2013, in Sioux City, Iowa, after emergency aorta dissection sur- gery and a subsequent stroke. She was 71. A U.S. Figure Skating judge for 30 years,


Marlys served multiple terms as the president of the Twin City Figure Skating Association. She was also the chairperson of several major skating events held in the Twin Cities. Marlys was the cochair of the first World Synchro- nized Skating Championships in 2000 and was the chairperson for the first Minnesota State Skating Competition in 1977. In 2010, she cochaired the U.S. Synchronized Skat- ing Championships. Marlys was a mentor to many in the skating community. She was also active in dog training. She


Her unyielding dedication and out-


standing training techniques strengthened her athletes into champions. Grubie kept her skaters in top-notch shape, focusing on mul- tiple aspects of fitness, such as flexibility, car- dio, core strength and mental preparedness. The athletes she nurtured earned countless sectional and national medals from juvenile through collegiate. Her teams represented Team USA at numerous international events, including the 2007 and 2008 Junior World Challenge Cup.


But her impact was so much greater


than results and performances. She shaped a generation of athletes into highly motivated, successful women; many followed in her foot- steps in the medical field. A celebration of her life was held in Sep-


tember. Her skaters put together a scrapbook video with loving messages and photos, which can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/73285172. Grubie was the loving mother of Jes-


sica M. Gruber-Ramos and Allison H. Gru- ber Moscicki and grandmother of Jeremy Gruber-Ramos. She is also survived by her longtime partner, Kevin Pendergast, and her brother Alan Hibbert. Memorial gifts in Jane’s memory may be


sent to the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215.


raised and trained several St. Bernard dogs, starting in 1969. Her most recent accomplish- ments with her dog Linus include a grand champion in conformation, a CD in obedi- ence, plus weight-pull titles. She and her husband Lyle had a beautiful


51-year marriage. They shared and supported each other in their business and many hob- bies. They also traveled extensively through- out the United States and Europe. Marlys is survived by her husband; chil-


dren, Loni (Darren) Keenan of Edina, Lynette Barba of Mt. Dora, Fla; grandchildren, Kendra Keenan of Salt Lake City, Utah, Alexandra and Andrew Barba of Florida; sister, Myrna (Don) Shaffar of State Center, Iowa; brothers-in-law, Robert (Martha) Larson, Kenneth (Stephanie) Carbonetti; six nephews and four nieces. Memorials preferred to the Marlys Lar-


son Minnesota Gold Scholarship Fund at Wells Fargo Bank.


SHIPSTAD THOMAS obituary appeared in the Nevada Appeal The world of professional skating lost one of its biggest stars on Sept.19, 2013, when Jill Shipstad Thomas passed away. Jill was born on May 27, 1944, in San Ma-


teo, Calif., to skating legends Roy Ship-stad and Bess Ehrhardt. At age 17 she joined the ice show her father had cofounded, Shipstad and Johnson’s Ice Follies. She was a principal performer in those productions as well as in Holiday on Ice and in TV and theatrical pro- ductions for more than 20 years. When her performing career was over, she became a highly respected coach and choreographer, working with many national, world and Olympic competitors. At the time of her death, she was still choreographing for Disney on Ice, with which she had been asso- ciated for more than 30 years. Jill married fellow skater Bill Thomas in 1976 and in 1980 they built a home in Incline Village, Nev., subsequently moving to Mind- en, Nev., in 1996. She is survived by her husband, Bill; sis-


ters, Joy, Janet, and Julie of northern Califor- nia; and many cousins throughout the coun- try.


In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to U.S. Figure Skating’s Memorial Fund.


PHOTO BY JEFF SOKOLOV


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