Reed Frank Hawke AKA Coach, of Syracuse NY, passed away peacefully on July 19, 2026, age 97. He was born April 22, 1929 in Elmira NY to Ralph And Frances Hawke, at the start of the Great Depression. They moved to Syracuse and settled on the Southside. Reed’s first big break came at 14 when he was chosen to sing the solo, “O’ Holy Night”, broadcast by the NBC radio network, NYC. His voice was short- waved to all the troops & servicemen serving in England and Europe, Christmas 1943, WW2.

Vocational High School would ignite his lifelong involvement & service to Athletics and his community. It most likely developed his rye sense of humor. He played football, basketball, managed the baseball team and continued his singing in Glee Club, graduating 1947, “closest to heaven” as the school motto went.

1949 would bring four years of service in the US Navy, most time spent on the U.S.S. Philippine Sea CV-47 as fire control technician for the Korean War. On board, he gained an appreciation for, “shit on a shingle,” sailor speak for biscuits and gravy. While on leave, he returned to Lake Placid NY, where he had worked previous summers at the Lake Placid Club. He married his mountain sweetheart, who he met in the record store on Main Street, Fern Marie Whitney and they honeymooned in Saranac. Their marriage lasted 75 years, only parted by death.

Reed entered Syracuse University through the GI Bill. They lived in married student housing on South campus fondly referred to as, “Tar Paper Shacks.” He was a member of Phi Epsilon Kappa for students, teachers of health & physical education. A quote from one of their pamphlets read, “The world is moving so fast today that you will have to run as fast as you can to stay where you are.” He was a trainer who worked with great student athletes on the crew & football team including Jim Brown. He graduated 1957, “closest to heaven” with a Masters of Education. John F. Kennedy was the commencement speaker.

His career began as a physical education teacher, Varsity wrestling coach and JV football coach at Jamesville- DeWitt high school. He remained teaching and coaching in the JD school district for 34 years with 35 summers spent maintaining the city pools for the Department of Parks and Recreation. He blessed the JD Varsity football games, as the voice of the Red Rams for 49 years and strongly believed in the ethics of good sportsmanship.

Mayor Roy Bernardi proclaimed Reed, “A tremendous force in Athletics in Central NY”, serving as wrestling chairman of NY States Section 3 committee, member of the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce’s’ Sports committee, member of the Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame board of directors & the person most fundamental for bringing the NY State High School Wrestling Tournament to Syracuse’s Onondaga War memorial. It was the third-highest moneymaker of all of NY state high school tournaments of that era. Reed was its director and chairman & oversaw its success for 34 years. He was honored in Wrestling USA magazine for a lifetime of commitment to the positive development of young men of America through the sport of wrestling. I believe his joy came from the action of doing and not necessarily the accolades he received but that last one was a good one. He invested his time in bringing people together with sports and acknowledging their successes. He got involved and he participated, he cared and he kept all the memorabilia.

In his running to stay where he was, he came across many lives and created bonds that lasted throughout his lifetime, in the mountains of the Adirondacks to all his school & ship reunions, and in the heart of Syracuse. He loved playing solitaire every morning and taking car rides around Syracuse. Reed and Fern had six children. They lost Randall in 2000 and their youngest, Michael in 2021. Reed leaves behind his wife, Fern, his sons, Reed and Ron (Kelley), daughters, Kathy (John) and Lori (Dan), grandchildren, Shanty, Trista, Ryan, Noah, Lauren, Aubrey, Christopher and Ruby, and sister, Beverly. 

Services will be held on Sunday, August 9 at 1:00 pm, DeWitt Community Church, Erie Blvd Dewitt, NY 13214

In Lieu of flowers donations can be made in Reeds name to Dorothy House.