This is one of those deaths that you do not get over easily. He impacted so many, my entire family in particular. Two of my older brothers, Ed and Bill, ran for him in his early years at the UofM. Our father died at age 45 during Ed's freshman year. He immediately took genuine concern in our family, always seeking out my mother at meets and asking how she was doing. At that time, I was a few years younger and in awe of the whole university atmosphere. When I entered the UofM in the fall of 1974, Roy endorsed Mike Lawless to be the first official coach in the Title IX era, of women's cross country and track and field. Mike was a great Gopher runner himself and Roy supported him to be the head coach. Roy's vision, to this day, is what I credit the success I had both in my collegiate and post collegiate career. Mike was perfect for the job and Roy supported him with stand back encouragement, yet up front humor every step of my four years. No matter how much time passed, always, he exuded genuine happiness to see you. He called you by name. He took your hand. He asked countless times: "How's your momma?" I was never coached by him but was embraced by him. He was family, both to the Twomeys and to the UofM.
I am honored to have known him. He perfected the art of winning with class; and even a snot-nosed little sister could tell, while sitting in the bleachers of the dust bowl fieldhouse, that his athletes would die before they lost a race.
You've left a footprint Coach. I will remember you forever.
Cathie Twomey Bellamy