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Human Interest
Mary Etchells, the only woman to win the Star Class Worlds, has died in Easton, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay. She sailed with her husband, Skip Etchells, winning the Star Worlds in 1951.
An article about Mary Etchells, written in 2003 by Ann Frankin Beach, is on this website.
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| Skip & Mary Etchells with Commodore Rafael Posso after winning the 1950 Mid-Winter Silver Star,Cup of Cuba |
Obituary that appeared in the Easton, Maryland Star Democrat:
Mary O'Toole Etchells, a world champion sailor who founded a successful women's sportswear manufacturing company, died Nov. 28, 2006 at her home in Easton. She was 85.
Born Jan. 30, 1921 in Baltimore, Mary graduated from the College of New Rochelle in New York. In 1941, she married E.W. "Skip" Etchells, a naval architect, boat builder and world-class sailor. They sailed together as skipper and crew, and Mary handled the business side of things at the company Skip founded, Old Greenwich Boat Co., in Old Greenwich, Conn. In 1951 at Gibson Island, Skip and Mary captured the world championship in the Star class of racing sailboats. Mary became, and remains, the only woman to win a Star class world championship.
With her friend and neighbor Barbara Reynes, Mary later founded Meadowbank Inc., a manufacturer of women's sportswear. Mary's husband Skip, after retiring from the boat building business, became a regular at Meadowbank, continuing their partnership. They eventually sold Meadowbank and retired, moving to a home on Shipshead Creek in Easton. Skip died in December 1998 at 87. They were married for 57 years.
Mary is survived by her daughter, Anne and husband Eric Krebeck of Easton; her son, Tim Etchells and wife Betsy of Middlebury, Vt.; three grandchildren, Eric Nieusma of Orlando, Fla., Emily McCarren of Honolulu and Peter Etchells of Middlebury; a sister, Anne Page of Fairfield, Conn.; and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a brother, George O'Toole.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 4 at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Easton. Burial will follow in Oxford Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Mary's name to the Tred Avon Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program, P.O. Box 337, Oxford, MD 21654.
Arrangements by Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home P.A., Easton. www.fhnfuneralhome.com.
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