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Article - May 16, 2003 | Obituary - May 17, 2003 | Letters to the Editor

Well-known runner, SLO High teacher succumbs to cancer
Laurie Phillips
The Tribune

You could hear him coming half a block away, feet pounding the pavement, breathing heavy, shoulders hunched and one arm flailing to the side.

His friends agree: Brian Waterbury didn't have classic form when he ran, but he made up for it with determination.

The 54-year-old teacher and runner succumbed to skin cancer at his San Luis Obispo home Thursday morning surrounded by family. He leaves a wife, Susan, and two daughters, Vikki, 26, of Costa Mesa and Libby, 24, of Bellevue, Wash.

Part of Waterbury's legacy is a Central Coast running community he helped create. He and one of his Cal Poly roommates began the Rock to Pier Run from Morro Bay to Cayucos, which he directed for 15 years. Waterbury started the San Luis Distance Club 29 years ago with friend Stan Rosenfield, whom he met at Rock to Pier.

Over three decades, Rosenfield estimates they ran "a couple hundred races" together. Be it a mile or a marathon, he said, Waterbury was ahead 90 percent of the time.

Waterbury also took his running on the road. He organized two teams in 2000 to participate in the Hood to Coast Relay, a 194-mile race billed by some as the ultimate adventure run. In the Tucson (Ariz.) Marathon, he won his age division in 2000 and 2001.

And in 2001, Waterbury ran one of the sport's premier events, the Boston Marathon, finishing in the top 10 in his division.

When Waterbury wasn't on the field, he was in the classroom. He taught mathematics at SLO High School for more than 30 years. Principal Will Jones, a fellow runner with the San Luis Distance Club, said only Waterbury's family came ahead of his students.

"When he made a commitment to something, he carried it out to the nth degree," Jones said.

Waterbury was a finalist for the district's Teacher of the Year Award this year. Jones said he was able to unlock pre-calculus and trigonometry in a way students could understand.

Between students and running, Waterbury must have known thousands of people, Rosenfield's wife, Elaine, said.

"And he'd have everybody laughing," she said. "He'd poke fun at people in a cheerful, supportive way, with a twinkle in his eye. And you laughed at yourself, too."

Published in the San Luis Obispo Tribune on 5/16/2003.

Article - May 16, 2003 | Obituary - May 17, 2003 | Letters to the Editor | Top

Brian Waterbury

Brian D. Waterbury, 54, passed away Thursday, May 15, 2003, at home in San Luis Obispo after a courageous year-long battle with melanoma.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in the San Luis Obispo High School gymnasium.

Brian was born Aug. 8, 1948, in Los Angeles. One of his childhood milestones was being awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in 1964. He moved to San Luis Obispo in 1966 to attend Cal Poly. Following his graduation, he earned his teaching credential in 1973, and a master's degree in computer science and education from Oregon State University in 1984.

Brian's dedication to students began in 1973, at San Luis Obispo High School, where he was a teacher, coach, California Teacher's Association representative and a member of the SLCTA negotiation team. Over his 30-year career as a mathematics and computer science teacher, he would earn respect by his professionalism, integrity and by always keeping the student's best interest as his top priority. He taught every level of class from remedial to honors. He developed a district-wide five-year plan to integrate computers and computer-assisted education into the K-12 curriculum.

His sense of service extended into the community, as he was a regular blood donor, recognized by the Tri-Counties Blood bank for his many "Gifts of Life" over the years.

Brian had a lengthy career as a distance runner and coach. He began coaching while he was a student teacher at Laguna Junior High School and continued as a cross country and track coach at San Luis Obispo High School. He was the coach of the first girls cross country team at the high school and took his team to their first CIF finals. He continued to help with the team even after stepping down as the official coach, and was the head timer at home track meets through the spring of 2002.

Brian organized the first distance races on the Central Coast in 1970 and was one of the founders of the San Luis Distance club in 1974. His personal 40-year competitive running career began at Mira Costa High School and Cal Poly. He ran in more than 500 races following graduation, highlighted by a top ten finish in his age division at the Boston Marathon in 2001.

Brian is survived by his wife of 30 years Susan, also a teacher at San Luis Obispo High School; daughters, Vikki of Costa Mesa, and Libby and husband Martin of Bellevue, Wash.; granddaughter Kelsi; mother Helen of San Luis Obispo; father Paul and wife Joan of Irvine; brother Steve and wife Debra of Hesperia; sister Stacy and husband Bill of San Mateo; nieces and nephews; his many friends; and the thousands of students whose lives he touched over the years.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Brian Waterbury Memorial Scholarship, San Luis Obispo High School, 1499 San Luis Dr., San Luis Obispo, 93401; or to Hospice Partners of the Central Coast.

Published in the San Luis Obispo Tribune on 5/17/2003.

Article - May 16, 2003 | Obituary - May 17, 2003 | Letters to the Editor | Top

To a fine running coach, we'll miss you

In memory of Brian Waterbury:

I will miss you. I will miss you at the track, where throughout the 1980s and '90s you coached us to do repeat 800s with 100 jogging "recovery" in between ... and we did them because you told us to.

You were a running mentor to many of us, and a benchmark for guys your age, and guys even younger. When I got a job coaching, I went to you for advice because I knew yours would be good.

On the starting line of races or at the track, I will miss bantering with you about something funny, while you did that funny shaking out of the muscles in your legs. In the neighborhood you were up and down the street, in your van, on your bike, and in your running shoes. Stopping to chat about the latest on my corner was something I looked forward to, especially in the summers.

We're all talking about you Brian, and we'll continue to do so because in so many ways you were awesome.

Catherine A. Hennelly
San Luis Obispo

Published in the San Luis Obispo Tribune on 5/22/2003.

Article - May 16, 2003 | Obituary - May 17, 2003 | Letters to the Editor | Top