(April 2, 2015) Former Ocean Pines resident Betty Brey, 84, passed away in Florida on Saturday, March 21.
In 1948, at age 15, Brey, then Betty Mullen, qualified for the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. Eight years later she went on to compete in the 1956 Olympic games in Melbourne.
Brey once held the world record in the 100-meter butterfly and won gold and silver medals at the 1951 and 1955 Pan America games in relay, freestyle and butterfly events.
Ocean Pines Association Director Sharyn O’Hare sold Brey her house in the Pines in the early 1990s. The families became close, and their children often participated in sporting events together.
“They were our next-door neighbors, so we knew her very well,” O’Hare said. “They lived in Ocean Pines for about 15 years.”
O’Hare said Brey was instrumental in helping her recover from back surgery.
“She was very instrumental in the swimming/aquatics program, and she got me swimming after the surgery,” she said. “She took me to the yacht club two months afterward and said, ‘Sharyn you are going to swim.’
“I got in the pool and I went one length and couldn’t even come back. Betty said, ‘Alright, tomorrow you’re going there and coming back.’ And I did. I learned to swim a half mile because of Betty,” O’Hare said.
O’Hare said Brey was “always in the yacht club pool.”
“She was so fabulous,” O’Hare said. “She was very, very encouraging for new swimmers. And when she did the butterfly – oh, my God she was magic in that pool. She would just glide. I said, ‘Betty, I want to learn to do that.’ She looked at me and said, ‘Sharyn, I don’t think you’ll be able to do that.’ It is not an easy stroke and she had perfected it.
“She was an amazing, amazing athlete, and she was just an amazing woman,” O’Hare continued.
Brey’s son, Mike Brey, coached the Notre Dame basketball team to a 67-64 victory against Butler in the “Sweet 16” round of the 2015 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship just hours after learning of his mother’s passing.
In 1948, at age 15, Brey, then Betty Mullen, qualified for the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. Eight years later she went on to compete in the 1956 Olympic games in Melbourne.
Brey once held the world record in the 100-meter butterfly and won gold and silver medals at the 1951 and 1955 Pan America games in relay, freestyle and butterfly events.
Ocean Pines Association Director Sharyn O’Hare sold Brey her house in the Pines in the early 1990s. The families became close, and their children often participated in sporting events together.
“They were our next-door neighbors, so we knew her very well,” O’Hare said. “They lived in Ocean Pines for about 15 years.”
O’Hare said Brey was instrumental in helping her recover from back surgery.
“She was very instrumental in the swimming/aquatics program, and she got me swimming after the surgery,” she said. “She took me to the yacht club two months afterward and said, ‘Sharyn you are going to swim.’
“I got in the pool and I went one length and couldn’t even come back. Betty said, ‘Alright, tomorrow you’re going there and coming back.’ And I did. I learned to swim a half mile because of Betty,” O’Hare said.
O’Hare said Brey was “always in the yacht club pool.”
“She was so fabulous,” O’Hare said. “She was very, very encouraging for new swimmers. And when she did the butterfly – oh, my God she was magic in that pool. She would just glide. I said, ‘Betty, I want to learn to do that.’ She looked at me and said, ‘Sharyn, I don’t think you’ll be able to do that.’ It is not an easy stroke and she had perfected it.
“She was an amazing, amazing athlete, and she was just an amazing woman,” O’Hare continued.
Brey’s son, Mike Brey, coached the Notre Dame basketball team to a 67-64 victory against Butler in the “Sweet 16” round of the 2015 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship just hours after learning of his mother’s passing.