Rebecca Rae Becky Reames of Potsdam, New York, passed away Monday, May 22, 2017, at her sisters home in Free Union, Virginia. She was born in Staunton, Virginia, on December 16, 1953, to A. Meade Reames and Martha Shultz Reames. She is survived by her sisters, Ronda M. Reames of Staunton and Diane R. Bates of Free Union; her nephew Joshua M. Bates of Rockbridge Baths, Virginia; and her honorary sister, Mary Lawrence Welliver, who supported Rebecca tirelessly through her four-year cancer battle. In addition to her beloved cousins, friends, and colleagues, Rebecca leaves behind hundreds of music educators across the country who were inspired by her teaching and are using techniques and approaches they learned from her with their own students. Dr. Reames legacy survives her.

After graduating from Mary Washington College and teaching middle and high school music in Prince William County, Rebecca earned a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Music Education/Choral Conducting from Florida State University. After teaching at the University of Georgia, Dr. Reames was hired at the State University of New York at Potsdam in 1996 as an Assistant Professor of Choral Conducting in The Crane School of Music and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2000. For the past 21 years she taught courses in music education and conducting, plus conducted choirs, one being the Phoenix Club, a womens chorus and the oldest choral group on campus, originally founded in 1894 by Julia E. Crane. Her touring choirs performed internationally and regionally, and she guest conducted and adjudicated festival ensembles across the nation and Canada.

A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, May 28 at 3:00 p.m. at Coffman Funeral Home and Crematory in Staunton, followed by family visitation. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society or to a scholarship fund in Rebeccas name at The Crane School of Music c/o Potsdam College Foundation, 44 Pierrepont Avenue, Potsdam, NY 13676 or online at https://secure.potsdam.edu/giving (note Reames in Specific Program box).

Coffman Funeral Home and Crematory, 230 Frontier Drive is in charge of her arrangements.