Walter N. Dodge ’61, G’68, P’87, P’88 passed away on Oct. 2, 2024. He was 87 years old. Dodge received his M.S. in Physical Education from Syracuse University School of Education in 1968, and coached gymnastics at Jamesville-DeWitt (NY) High School and Syracuse University.
Born in Watertown, NY, in 1936, Dodge lived in Philadelphia during his childhood. As an undergraduate, he was a star on the Syracuse University gymnastics team, excelling at the horizontal and parallel bars and pommel horse.
After taking his master’s degree, Dodge coached Jamesville-DeWitt’s gymnastics team from 1962 to 1979. He started coaching the Orange in 1978 and became Head Coach in 1992. In 1984, he was named Coach of the Year, and his 1996 Syracuse University team went undefeated.
Described as a “beloved physical education teacher,” Dodge was also known as “a lifelong teacher, mentor, coach, child advocate, student of life and a big child who love playing games.”