Miriam Macdonald Reid, of Lancaster, died Friday, precisely as she had hoped- without pain, on a day of deep spiritual significance, holding her mother's rosary beads, surrounded by her three daughters and the grandchildren she adored. She was 81.

A native of San Francisco, Miriam swam competitively on a national level, earning a spot at the 1956 Olympic Trials and competing at the Pan American Games. She was also an avid synchronized swimmer, who was pictured in Life Magazine alongside her teammates in a feature on the sport.

Miriam was a graduate of the University of California-Berkeley, where she earned a degree in Far-Eastern Studies. She spent her junior year at the University of Hawaii, where she met her former husband, John Reid. Miriam went on to earn a master's degree in education from Duke University and became a loyal, lifelong fan of Blue Devil basketball.

She spent the bulk of her teaching career as a reading specialist at Pequea Valley Intermediate School, where she coached the school's participants in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee. It was a natural fit for a woman who loved words, language, and etymology. She also took on a brief stint as the school's chess club advisor, until they could find someone who actually understood the game. Following her retirement, Miriam continued to volunteer as a tutor, assisting both children and adults in literacy.

Miriam was an avid crossword puzzle enthusiast and took pride in being able to complete the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle with an ink pen. She also was the first pick for any trivia challenge and knew the most arcane facts. She attributed this to her passion for reading.

An explorer at heart, Miriam travelled to every state in the nation except for North Dakota. But her primary joy was travelling abroad to Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa.

Miriam was a proud grandmother, who never missed an event, finding a front-row seat to every match, recital, play, competition, or milestone occasion. She kept detailed scrapbooks for each grandchild, highlighting every recognition no matter how slight. She considered each her favorite.

Miriam was the daughter of Malcolm and Helen Macdonald. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Malcolm. She is survived by three children, Karen Reid Weiss, wife of Greg Weiss, New York, Christine Reid Veronis, wife of George Veronis, Lancaster, and Carol Diane Reid, of Tequesta, Florida. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Alexander, Sarah, and Elizabeth Veronis.

A Memorial Service celebrated by the Rev. Michael Culkin will be held Tuesday, April 18th at 2pm at the Charles F. Snyder, Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory, 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA 17543. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Miriam's memory to Lancaster Catholic High School, 650 Juliette Ave., Lancaster, PA 17601.