Masters News and Muse

In the five-page will, Louise left her home in Cape Canaveral, Florida, to her sister Jane Mead Peter. The contents of the home went to Jane as well.

Louise left $5,000 to her nephew Jonathan Mead Peter in South Salem, New York.

As for the rest of her estate (called "residue" in probate jargon), Louise left percentages to about a dozen other people and couples, mostly track-related. Her will doesn't specify the total value of her estate. But it's revealing who she considered her dearest friends.

Louise left 20 percent to Louise J. Russo of New City, New Jersey. I don't know whether Russo is the same crime-victim Louise Russo mentioned in a Google search.

Louise left 20 percent jointly to Ruth Fountain and Patricia Davis of Cocoa Beach, Florida. Ruth, who Louise also appointed as personal representative and trustee to handle the estate, was technical adviser to Louise in the writing of her two books on the history of American women's track and field.

She left 20 percent jointly to her close running friend and Cape Canaveral neighbor Ann Makoske and Bob Makoske. Ann is a breast cancer survivor (whose story is told here) and a longtime masters middle-distance runner, nationally ranked in recent years and an entrant in several national masters track championships. Ann was at Louise's side in her last hours.

Louise also left 20 percent to Karen D'Aprix of Highland, New York. Karen also helped Louise with her track history books.

The remaining estate residue was divided thusly:

Five percent went to sister Jane.

Five percent went to Jane Jones of Melbourne, Florida, who I think is a road runner.

Five percent went to Jackie Archis of New York City, who was featured in a book on how to find affordable housing in the Big Apple.

Two and one-half percent went jointly to Susan Puretz and Phil McDonald of Saugerties, New York. Susan is the former chair of the Division of Health and Physical Education at State University of New York in New Paltz. This profile of Susan, also an author, says: "She taught courses in health, fitness and dance for more than 20 years and she keeps fit through hiking, running, swimming, equestrianism, and dance."

And finally, Louise left 2.5 percent to Jean and Ernie Gregoire of Walnut, California -- the home of Mt. San Antonio College, where Ernie coached and helped manage the Mt. SAC Relays for many years.

Ernie's track credits are many. He was head coach of the 1999 U.S. women's team at the IAAF World Championships and an assistant coach for the 2000 U.S. Olympic team.

But I'm sure that Ernie's original calling -- as coach in the late 1960s and 1970s of a famous youth club called the Southern California Cheetahs -- was more important to Louise than his later credits. Among his athletes was Olympic long jump medalist Larry Myricks. Louise devoted a chapter interview to Ernie in "A History: American Women's Track & Field, 1981-2000." The book was published earlier this year.

In an interview with hurdler Arnita Epps Myricks in the same book, Louise wrote of how Arnita was influenced by Ernie Gregoire:

"Coming to California, I knew that I had my work cut out for me because everyone was running well. However, Coach Gregoire told me his motto was 'If it's to be, it's up to me.' That motto stays with me today, not only through athletics, but also in my professional career and in whatever I endeavor to do."