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BORN
1920
DIED
2014
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Sidney VAN HORN Obituary
Sidney Welby Van Horn, age 94, the legendary American tennis coach and former top 4 world class tennis player, passed away on September 17, 2014, in Hospice care at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Palm Beach, FL. Welby was born in Los Angeles, CA on September 8, 1920 to the late Sidney Stuart Van Horn and Trella Irene (Anderson) Van Horn-Haugen. Also preceded in death by his step-father, Einar Haugen, his former wife, Judith (Tomerlin) Van Horn, his sister, Suzanne (Van Horn) Benefield, his cousin, Anabelle Miller, and his brother-in-law, Tommie Douglas Benefield. He is survived by his sons, Stuart Van Horn and Bryce Van Horn, their wives, Kathleen Van Horn and Lisa Van Horn, his grandchildren, Shane, Megan, Natalie, Liam, his step-grandchildren, Julia, Quinlan, and his nephews, Tommie and Terri Benefield. Welby was a top world class tennis player during his amateur (1938-1941) and professional (1942-1951) playing career. He played against such greats as Bill Tilden, Ellsworth Vines, Fred Perry, Don Budge, Bobby Riggs, Jack Kramer, Frank Kovacs, Pancho Segura, and Pancho Gonzalez. Upon retiring from the professional tour in 1951, he turned his full time attention to becoming a tennis coach, and moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he lived until 1991. His coaching acumen and style resulted in developing Puerto Rican junior tennis into a US national championship power house and put Puerto Rico on the world tennis map. Between 1971 and 1991, Welby ran summer tennis camps at the Choate School (Connecticut), Pinehurst Country Club (North Carolina), and the Boca Raton Resort and Club (Florida). While in semi-retirement, from 1991 until his passing, he was Tennis Professional Emeritus at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Palm Springs, CA. Cremation was handled by Edgley Cremation Services and a private family remembrance ceremony was held. Remembrance ceremonies for friends are planned at a later date in Palm Springs, CA and San Juan, PR. To express condolences and/or make donations: Visit memorialwebsites.legacy.com/welbyvanhorn.
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Memories and Condolences
for Sidney VAN HORN
Sponsored by Edgley Cremation Services - West Palm Beach.
1 Entry
January 21, 2016
I met Welby Van Horn only once, in 1948 or 1949. I was playing in the US 15's at Kalamazoo. I had seen him play during the war on Tilden's War Bond tour. A beautiful game. He came up to young me after a match at Kalamazoo, introduced himself and complimented me on my play, even though I had lost. Thought it so nice of him, a legendary player even back then, to take the time to cheer up someone he didn't even know. Big heart. Al Kuhn
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Edgley Cremation Services - West Palm Beach4128 Westroads Drive Suite 203, West Palm Beach, FL 33407
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