Lorraine (Fischer) Baroody

SALISBURY — Lorraine Baroody, 92, died on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 2010. She was a star in the world of swimming during the late 1930s to mid-1940s, having set no less than 20 U.S. records.

She was the widow of Jamil Baroody.

She was born Lorraine Fischer on Dec. 5, 1917, in Chicago. She grew up with modest means during the Great Depression era, a time of economic hardship for most of the population. Through sheer determination, Lorraine pulled herself up by focusing on physical fitness and becoming one of the fastest woman swimmers in the world. Concurrent with her athletic career, she managed to put herself through college, graduating with a B.S. degree in physical education from New York University at a time when it was uncommon for women to earn college degrees.

Lorraine’s specialties were short course breaststroke, the individual medley and team medley events. She began her national career in New York, and retired the President’s Cup in Washington, D.C., by winning it three consecutive years and then yet another year after that. She was named All-American three times and held 57 championship titles. A highlight of this period was a team medley national championship in March 1940 when Lorraine set a world record in overpowering Esther Williams, who would soon become the Hollywood star of more than two dozen movies.

Oil rationing during World War II made the unheated pools on the East Coast problematic for competitive swimming. In an interview, Lorraine reminisced that she once came out of a pool with icicles on her eyebrows. Seeking a warmer climate, Lorraine accepted an invitation to join the renowned Crystal Plunge Swim Club in San Francisco in 1943.

Crystal Plunge dominated in many women’s swimming events of that period. Lorraine almost certainly would have competed in the Olympic Games had these not been canceled because of World War II. All during this time, her skills in electrical drafting provided gainful employment that contributed to the war effort, and she was also proud to have participated in water shows on the West Coast that entertained our troops.

Lorraine always had a keen interest in helping girls and young women develop their swimming abilities. She organized girls’ swimming classes through the Madison Square Garden Boys’ Club and coached a young girls’ team at Crystal Plunge. Even into her senior years, she would often volunteer to teach youngsters how to swim.

In an era without television, touring water shows became a popular form of entertainment and publicized facets of the sport such as diving and water ballet — now known as synchronized swimming. Lorraine starred in the Water Follies of 1946 with actor Buster Crabbe, an Olympic gold medalist who portrayed Tarzan, Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers among his many movie and television roles.

Back in New York City, Lorraine married Jamil Baroody, who was well-known as a United Nations diplomat throughout the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. Attracted by the rural beauty of the Northwest Corner and the facility at the Town Grove in Lakeville, they began visiting the area in 1950 and bought a house on Wells Hill Road in 1960, where their four children grew up.

Lorraine, who up to this time had been a city person, fully embraced the country life with the same enthusiasm as she did for any of her endeavors. She introduced herself and her children to gardening and photography, and was an active member of the Housatonic (then Color Slide) Camera Club.

In the early 1960s, Lorraine was key to organizing several 4-H Clubs: the Lakeville 4-H Cockerels and Hopperels, whose members raised chickens and rabbits, and the Aqua Queens and Aqua Nuts for young area swimmers. She designed and helped build elaborate floats for the club’s participation in the celebrated Fourth of July parades in Lakeville. For the swimming club, Lorraine choreographed water ballet shows that were held at The Hotchkiss School pool. She was able to use her celebrity reputation to secure low cost or complimentary swimsuits and matching fancy caps for these events.

In 1962, Lorraine founded and operated Greenbrier Farm for the purpose of raising and breeding horses and ponies. Her children readily adopted her competitive spirit and had great success in horse shows, especially her youngest daughter who rode her equine charges to national championships for eight consecutive years.

Lorraine was a supporter of the Lakeville Pony Club at Holley Hill Farm and was a founding member of the Connecticut Hunter and Jumper Association.

With her children grown, Lorraine moved to Kent in 1987, where she raised from a puppy her faithful companion Zuni. She kept busy with stamp collecting, calligraphy, ballroom dancing  and then travel. Always curious about the world, she embarked on many trips abroad. When a volunteer was needed to ride in the trunk of an elephant in Thailand, Lorraine was first in line.

On one of these trips, she began her last great passion. Her need to continue swimming year ’round into her 70s and 80s led her to purchase a small lot on the Caribbean island of St. Barthelemy. There she designed and built a house where she spent many winters. In September 1995, Luis, a Category 4 hurricane, was headed for the island. Contrary to what most people would do—flee or avoid the area—Lorraine flew down to her house to try to secure it from the expected onslaught. Alone, she endured 145 mph winds that did everything but tear the roof from her residence.

In 2005, Lorraine returned to Lakeville from Kent to stay closer to her family.

Lorraine is survived by her four children, Robert, Lloyd, Leila and Nancy; and four grandchildren.

A private burial at Salisbury Cemetery, attended by family and friends, took place Nov. 30. A memorial event will be held at the Town Grove Senior Community Building at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 5, the day that would have been her 93rd birthday.

In lieu of flowers, tax-deductible contributions may be made to the Town of Salisbury Youth Work Program (SYWP), PO Box 548, Salisbury, CT 06068, reference Lorraine Baroody Swimming. Inquiries and condolences may be sent to lloydbaroody@gmail.com.

Arrangements are under the care of the Kenny Funeral Home in Sharon.