Sandra J. Kiddy

Sandra J. Kiddy, 81, who set 16 world records running in the 50k, 50m, 100k, and 100m women's ultramarathons, died September 16, 2018, at home in Reading. After running six years for her health, Sandy discovered the joy of running increasingly longer distances. Anything less than a marathon, she quipped, was a sprint.

At the age of 42, Sandy set the world record for 50 kilometers and never looked back. As described by the Ultramarathon Running Association, "of the half-dozen 100k races Kiddy ran in her prime, all of them were major events; she was undefeated, and her average time was under 8 hours."

In 7-hours and 56-minutes, for example, Sandy won the Philadelphia-to-Atlantic City 100k at the age of 50. Five years later, she was "the most senior athlete ever named to an open USA national team," at the 1992 World 100k in Palamos, Spain. As the oldest member of a trio of American women ultramarathoners in the 1980's, Sandy blazed the path for women long distance runners in the U.S., Europe and around the world.

From 1985 through 1992, Sandy competed in numerous 100k and 100-mile races, setting records in Europe and at home in both her age group, and for women overall. Her world record time of 15-hours and 13-minutes in the 100-mile ultramarathon in Florida, not only reaffirmed the physical power of a woman, but advanced the power, endurance, and equality of all women, at any age. In 2004, Sandy was inducted into the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame.

Born November 27, 1936, in Grand Rapids, MI, Sandy was the daughter of the late Marjorie R. and Robert B. Mackey. After graduating from Ottawa Hills High School, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Zoology at Valparaiso University.

Wife and running mate to her late devoted husband Frederick Kiddy for over 43 years, Sandy and Fred married September 15, 1962, in Las Vegas, NV, while driving from Buffalo, NY to Los Angeles, CA. Once in LA, Sandy worked first at Caltech, then for Microbics at Beckman Instruments, where she patented a number of reagent laboratory tests.

In 1974, Sandy and Fred moved to Palm Springs, CA until he passed away June 10, 2006. In 2009, Sandy relocated to Reading to be with her only son, Gregory P. Kiddy and his wife Betsy (Winchell) Kiddy, who is now deceased.

A memorial service for Sandy is scheduled for 12:00noon, Sunday October 14, 2018, at 746 Centre Avenue, Reading. A reception will follow next door at 742 Centre Avenue.

Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., 739 Penn Avenue, West Reading, PA, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.