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Gonzaga athletic director Coach Joe Reyda dies at 55

Coach Joe Reyda was a "humble leader, a gentle soul, and a devoted husband, father, and friend,” the president of Gonzaga College High School wrote

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The Gonzaga College High School community is mourning the death of its longtime athletic director.

Joe Reyda died of an apparent heart attack at home early Tuesday, school president Rev. Joseph Lingan said in a email. He was 55.

“Joe was a beloved and instrumental member of our school community. As our longtime Athletic Director, he shaped the Gonzaga experience of thousands of young men. He was a humble leader, a gentle soul, and a devoted husband, father, and friend,” Lingan’s letter said in part.

Gonzaga, a Catholic, all-boys school, has one of the top athletic programs in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. Eighty percent of students play at least one sport per year, the school’s website says. Famous graduates include Heisman Trophy-winner Caleb Williams.

No information on Reyda’s funeral was immediately announced. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

“Please join the Gonzaga community in praying for the peaceful repose of Joe’s soul,” the school president wrote.

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