Holly Renee Magee, who represented the United States at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, died on July 13 at her home in Texas after dealing with a brain tumor. She was 63 years old.
Magee qualified for the 1976 U.S. Olympic team in the women’s 100 backstroke, placing 19th in a time of 1:06.44.
A native of Texas City, Texas, Magee started swimming at the Bellevue Swim Club in Nebraska with coach Jack Jackson before moving to Houston and joining Skip Kenney at the Dad’s Swim Club in 1975.
In 1976, after leading Clear Lake High School to the Texas state title, Magee qualified for the Olympic team in the 100 back at the age of 17, and went on to represent the U.S. the following year at the World Championships in Berlin.
Magee then attended the University of North Carolina, becoming a four-time All-American in the pool while earning her undergraduate and law degrees.
Upon graduation, Magee began working at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, serving as an assistant DA for 21 years before being elected as a judge of the 337th District Court in 2012. Her successful 25 + year law career included work as both a prosecutor and judge in the Harris County and Galveston County Criminal justice systems.
In 2011, she was inducted into the Texas Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame.
She is survived by her husband, James Tucker, along with two kids, her mother, six siblings and five grandchildren.
Renee was true competitor in every sense. As an age group swimmer she was nationally ranked in everything she swam. I don’t remember her losing a race when she swam for Jack Jackson in Bellevue Nebraska. She was a great student as well and became an attorney and then a judge. She said her greatest honor was being a mother and grandmother. Rest in peace Renee.
As someone that is apparently on the same side of the political divide as you, I condemn this type of comment as vehemently as I possibly can.
over, not lover
Rest in Peace to a great competitor.