Honoring the U.S. Figure Skating Team of 1961

The entire United States ice figure skating team died on February 15 1961 when Sabena Airlines flight 548 crashede in Belgium. See also more about U.S. Skating, and other regional skating resources By Country, and by Continent.

The entire United States Figure Skating World Team was killed on February 15 1961 when Sabena Flight 548 from New York City to Brussels, Belgium crashed near Berg in Kampenhout Belgium while on approach to Zaventern Airport. All of the 72 passengers and crew on board and one person on the ground were killed. Those who died included 18 members of the USFSA world team and 16 of the team's coaches, officials and family members. The team was traveling to compete at the 1961 Ice Figure Skating World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia (now known as the Czech Republic). That event was cancelled due to the tragic plane crash that killed the U.S. team.

Remembering those who died:

Athletes: Ladies Singles

NAME: Rhode Lee Michelson (1943-1961)
DATE OF BIRTH: March 9, 1943
PLACE OF BIRTH: Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California, United States
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
- 1961 U.S. figure skating bronze medalist
RESOURCES: | Wikipedia |

NAME: Laurence Owen (1944-1961)
ALSO KNOWN AS: Laurie Owen
FULL NAME: Laurence Rochon Owen
DATE OF BIRTH: May 9, 1944
PLACE OF BIRTH: Oakland, Alameda County, California, United States
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
- 1961 United States champion
- 1961 North American champion
- 1960 Olympic and World team member
RESOURCES: | Wikipedia |

NAME: Stephanie Westerfeld (1943-1961)
ALSO KNOWN AS: Steffi Westerfield
DATE OF BIRTH: October 8, 1943
PLACE OF BIRTH: Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, United States
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
- 1961 U.S. silver medalist
RESOURCES: | Wikipedia |

Athletes: Singles Men

NAME: Bradley Lord (deceased) 1961 U.S. champion, 1961 North American silver medalist, 1959 World team member
DESCRIPTION: Singles Figure Skater: Men
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
RESOURCES: | Wikipedia |

NAME: Douglas Ramsay (deceased) 1961 U.S. Championships fourth-place medalist
DESCRIPTION: Singles Figure Skater: Men
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
RESOURCES: | Wikipedia |

NAME: Gregory Kelley (deceased) 1961 U.S. silver medalist, 1961 North American bronze medalist, 1960 World team member
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
RESOURCES: | Wikipedia |

Pairs

NAME: Ila Ray Hadley and Ray Hadley, Jr.
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
- 1960 Olympic and World team members
- 1961 U.S. pairs silver medalists

NAME: Laurie Hickox and William Hickox
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
- 1961 U.S. pairs bronze medalists

NAME: Maribel Y. Owen and Dudley S. Richards
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
- 1960 Olympic team members
- 1961 U.S. pairs champions
- 1961 North American silver medalists

Ice Dancers

NAME: Diane C. Sherbloom and Larry Pierce
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
- 1961 United States champions

NAME: Dona Lee Carrier and Roger Campbell
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
- 1961 U.S. and North American silver medalists

NAME: Patricia Dineen and Robert Dineen
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
- 1961 U.S. bronze medalists

Coaches

NAME: Daniel C. Ryan
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Coach of Diane Sherbloom and Larry Pierce

NAME: Edi Scholdan
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Coach of Greg Kelley, Stephanie Westerfeld, and Laurie and William Hickox

NAME: Linda Hadley
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Coach and mother to Ila Ray Hadley and Ray Hadley, Jr.

NAME: Maribel Vinson Owen
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Coach and mother to daughters Laurence and Maribel Y. Owen, coach to Dudley Richards

NAME: William Kipp
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Coach to Dona Lee Carrier and Roger Campbell, and Rhode Lee Michelson

NAME: William Swallender
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Coach of Doug Ramsay

Judges and Officials

NAME: Deane E. McMinn
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Team manager, international and Olympic judge

NAME: Edward LeMaire
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– National judge

NAME: Harold Hartshorne
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– World judge

NAME: Walter S. Powell
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– International referee and member of the ISU Executive Committee

Family Members

NAME: Ann Campbell
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Mother of Roger Campbell

NAME: James Scholdan (deceased)
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Son of Edi Scholdan

NAME: Louise Hartshorne
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Wife of Harold Hartshorne

NAME: Nathalie Kelley
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Sister of Gregory Kelley

NAME: Richard LeMaire
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Son of Edward LeMaire

NAME: Sharon Westerfeld
DATE OF DEATH: February 15, 1961
PLACE OF DEATH: Kampenhout, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
– Sister of Stephanie Westerfeld

Resources

- History Dot Com "US Team Killed in Plane Crash" Article

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