Susanna M. Reckard

Susanna M. Reckard, widow of former Claremont Colleges chaplain and administrator E.C. "Pete" Reckard, has died at 86. Mrs. Reckard, a native of Lewisburg , W.Va., died of heart failure on April 8, Easter morning, at Pomona Valley Hospital. The Rec kards arrived in Claremont in 1958, raising five sons and becoming deeply involved in civil-rights efforts during the 1960s. Mrs. Reckard was known especially for welcoming faculty, students and visitors at any time to the family's home on College Avenue. "Someone was always staying in that guest house out back," said Merilee Scaff of Claremont, a close friend. "And she did it so gracefully. I always asked her, 'How do you keep up with this,' and she'd just say, 'Oh, it's not that hard.'" The Reckar ds moved to Centre College in Kentucky in 1972 and retired to Pilgrim Place in 1989. Survivors include sons Scott of Laguna Beach; Frank of Santa Fe, N.M.; Matthew of Ester, Alaska; Charles of Warwick, R.I .; and Mark of Santa Monica; also Kate Curtis of Kensington, Md., and Tom Curtis of Montezuma, N.M. A memorial service is to be held at Decker Hall, Pilgrim Place , at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 21. Donations: Pilgrim Place, 660 Avery Road, Claremont 91711, or Inland Valley Hope Partners, 1753 N. Pa rk Ave., Pomona 91768.