Lillian Vickers-Smith (née Dyer: September 7, 1896 – July 4, 1971)[1] is regarded as the first woman sports editor for a newspaper when she obtained the title working for The Leesburg Commercial in Florida in 1938.[2]
Lillian Vickers-Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lillian Dyer September 7, 1896 Rutland, Vermont |
| Died | July 4, 1971 Asheville, North Carolina |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Newspaper sports editor, journalist |
| Spouse | Ormond Vickers-Smith |
| Children | Three |
Early life
editShe was born Lillian Dyer to parents Horace E. Dyer and Lillian G. Hasler in Rutland, Vermont on September 7, 1896.[1]
Career
editIn Florida, she began her writing career. Lillian Vickers-Smith first began serving as Press Correspondent for the town of Fruitland Park, Florida after news writing with the Fruitland Park Chamber of Commerce. She wrote the History of Fruitland Park in 1924.[3] She co-authored the History of Lake County, Florida in 1929.[4]
She began her career with The Leesburg Commercial newspaper as the first Fruitland correspondent and later became a staff member in their society department. At the time, The Leesburg Commercial did not have a sports writer despite the rising success of the Leesburg athletic teams, and Lillian took up an informal role of sports writing to meet this need. On September 7, 1938, the Leesburg Commercial newspaper staff promoted her to the title of “Sports Editor," thus making her the first female sports editor for a newspaper.[1] She later became a correspondent for the Orlando Sentinel newspaper as well.[5]
She also complied many volumes detailing local military service in World War II which was later used to erect a memorial in their honor in 1994. The American Legion Post 219 presented the City of Leesburg with a plaque in honor of her dedication that year.[6][7]
Personal life
editAfter her marriage to Ormond Vickers-Smith on March 20, 1919, Lillian moved to Fruitland Park, Florida. During her residence in Florida, she began a family and had two sons (Harold Dyer, John Edward) and one daughter (Nathalie Vivien). She died on July 4, 1971 in Asheville, North Carolina.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Kennedy, William. History of Lake County Florida, Part II Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Lake County, Florida. pp. 301–302.
- ^ "Eustis Business Women Chose Many Fields of Endeavor". Eustis Lake Region News. 27 September 1951.
- ^ Correspondent, Rick Reed /. "Lake County history: Did you know?". Daily Commercial. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Powers, Ormund. "In Early Days, Vickers-Smith Blazed a New Trail for Women in Journalism". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ Powers, Ormund. "Return To Sender: Post Office Told Fruitland Park to Pick New Name". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ Bond, Bill. "Author Makes Sure We Remember Vets". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ Vickers-Smith, Lillian (1941). ""Introduction" Leesburg Service Records". Leesburg Public Library Digital Collections. Retrieved 2021-08-27.