Oxford, MA --- Grace Flynn, 77, died on August 13, 2013 at her home surrounded by her family. Flynn was a longtime secretary who worked for the athletics department for nearly 20 years until her retirement in 1999.
For her efforts and dedication to the athletics department, Flynn was inducted into the Lancer Hall of Fame in 2009.
“Grace was the athletics department back then,” noted Sue Chapman. “She was really the first secretary and the cog that ran the department. Grace was dependable and a very loyal employee.”
First hired in 1982 as the department’s first secretary by athletics director Robert Devlin, Grace made an immediate impact in helping to fully integrate athletics as a part of the campus community by coordinating communications, writing out meal checks and taking care of anything else that needed to be taken care of.
Grace attended every athletic event that she could, both on and off campus. Whether it was rain or shine, hot or cold, Grace helped run a concession stand at men’s and women’s basketball games and football contests to help raise funds for non-budgeted items such as the awards banquet or team apparel and gear.
While tending to her duties on campus, Grace also served on the campus ministry board and was an avid volunteer with the Special Olympics. Upon her retirement, she was a recipient of a number one fan plaque from the football team.
“Grace also helped run and start our Hall of Fame,” said Chapman. “She really did bleed Blue and Gold.”
Previous to her time at Worcester State, Grace had worked for the Town of Oxford School Department for 10 years. An avid volunteer, Grace was a dedicated member of St. Ann’s Church in North Oxford, served as its secretary and she was the president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Grace was a recipient of the Knights of Columbus “Citizen of the Year” award in 1981, inducted into the Lancer Hall of Fame as a Contributor in 2009 and she also received the Oxford Lions Club Volunteer Appreciation Award.
Grace was a president of the Friends of the Oxford Free Public Library for 12 years and she was honored with a bench dedicated to her in a ceremony in July of 2013.