Dolores Elaine Webb

Dolores Elaine (Dee) Webb, a teacher, coach, mentor, and friend to thousands of students during 36 years with high schools in Central and Northern Virginia, died of natural causes on March 27, 2021, at the Sunrise Senior Living Community in McLean, Virginia. She was 91. Following her retirement from South Lakes High School in Reston, Virginia, in 1987 she continued her work as an educator by teaching English as a Second Language to adults through the Northern Virginia Literacy Council and supervising student teachers from George Mason University. Shortly before her death she penned a hand-written note that reads: “To all my friends, my last words to you. Thank you for being my friends. My dear students who are also my friends, thank you. What a wonderful ride it has been. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t change a thing. Well, maybe another Field Hockey Championship. Love you all!” Ms. Webb coached her South Lakes High School field hockey team to a Virginia High School Championship in 1983. She and the members of her team were subsequently inducted into the South Lakes High School Hall of Fame. She was also inducted into the Hopewell High School Hall of Fame where she began her teaching career in 1951. There she taught health and physical education and coached field hockey, basketball, softball, and even gymnastics. While there she played on field hockey, basketball, and softball teams in the Richmond area and earned induction to the Central Virginia Softball Hall of Fame. Dee Webb was a past president of the Virginia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. A fanatic fan of the Washington Nationals, Ms. Webb preferred daytime seats along the third base line and followed the games closely. She was reputed to love all dogs almost as much as she loved all her students. “Dee taught us to mix hard work with fun,” one of her students who became a longtime friend remarked. “She left an indelible mark on all of us who were lucky enough to know and play for her. She was a great coach of athletics but an even greater coach of life.” Dee Webb was born to Garland and Josephine Webb in Washington, D.C on September 24, 1929. She moved with her family to Arlington, Virginia, when she started school. She graduated from Washington and Lee High School in 1947 and from Madison College (now James Madison University) in 1951 before joining the faculty of Hopewell High School. While there she earned her Masters of Education at University of Virginia in 1967. She returned from Hopewell to Northern Virginia in 1966 to care for her aging mother and joined the faculty of Langley High School in 1967. She was selected for the opening faculty at South Lakes High School in 1978. In addition to coaching, she taught health, physical education, and driver education. She was well known for her adamant emphasis on drivers and passengers using seat belts. Additionally, for the last four years of her tenure Ms. Webb served as assistant athletic director where she is credited with imparting administrative order to programs serving the school’s rapidly expanding student body. She leaves behind: Mary Allen and Jack Clark of Port Angeles, WA, Della Lee Procopio and Joe Marks of Youngsville, NC, Amy Roos Flemming and her children Gus and Grayson, of Los Angeles CA, Sally Rorer of Jacksonville, FL, Judy Burl of Hopewell, VA, Phuong and Lan Pham of Falls Church, VA, Nikki and Dave Merrill and their children Hallie, Annie, Ethan and Luke of Vienna, VA, Pat Hamilton and Lynn Coddington of Sharpsburg MD and her beloved dog, KP. A memorial Mass celebrating Ms Webb’s life and accomplishments will be held at 1:30pm, April 16, 2021 at St. Luke Catholic Church 7001 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101 with interment to follow at National Memorial Park, Falls Church VA. In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Dee Webb’s name to the Multiple Sclerosis Society: