Drexel University Athletics
Drexel Athletics Mourns the Loss of Hall of Famer Vince Vidas
11/6/2017 5:00:00 PM | Drexel Athletics
Mr. Vidas, a 1959 graduate, was a captain of the team as a senior. He also played one season of both basketball and lacrosse. He stayed very active in the Drexel community after graduation and was involved in Drexel Athletics until his passing. Mr. Vidas and his wife, Judy, who also graduated from Drexel, played a major role in the upgrade of Drexel's Athletic Complex at 43rd and Powelton. The complex which is now called the Vidas Athletic Complex, is home to the field hockey, men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse, men's soccer, women's soccer, men's tennis and women's tennis teams. He was inducted into the Drexel Athletics Hall of Fame in 1973.
"Vince was bigger than life, on and off the field," said Drexel Director of Athletics Dr. Eric Zillmer. " He was a great friend to Drexel Athletics through his and his wife Judy's generosity and should be credited for helping elevate our varsity athletics programs. He was at heart an athlete, but his heart was bigger than anyone could have imagined. Drexel Athletics is saddened by the news, but we know that his positive and determined spirit will be with us forever."
Mr. Vidas was born in Philadelphia and served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. After returning from the War, Vincent enrolled in Drexel University where he received his BS in Electrical Engineering and his MS in Electrical Engineering. After graduation, he co-founded SEMCOR, Inc., a provider of systems engineering and management support services, and served at SEMCOR's Chairman and CEO before eventually retiring in 1999.
Mr. Vidas is survived by his wife, Judy Vidas (nee Weber), their children, Lisa Reese (Arthur), Jeffrey Vidas (Annlouise) and Kristen Vidas and their grandchildren, Amanda and Ryan Reese, Jacob Kegel, and Trevor Vidas. They are also survived by two great-grandchildren, Gaige and Ava, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Friends and family are invited to a viewing on Thursday, Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. immediately followed by a funeral service, both at the Mount Laurel Home for Funerals. The address is 212 Ark Road, Mount Laurel, N.J. Final disposition will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Vincent's name may be made to the Disabled American Veterans or to the American Red Cross.
In the book Building Drexel: The University and its City published earlier this year to commemorate Drexel's 125th anniversary, Zillmer wrote of Mr. Vidas in a chapter on the history of athletics at the school:
Vince Vidas was Drexel's best football player. Playing both offense and defense, Vidas was a menace to his opponents. His size and strength were remarkable, sharpened by assisting in his father's piano storage business in South Philadelphia. Vince reported how he often helped his dad move pianos, with his bare hands, up and down the stairs, "It is all about leverage," he would comment with a big grin on his face. There is game film in the Drexel University Archives that shows how Vince would cover the field with great speed and plow over anyone that came in his way. But off the field, Vince was the nicest guy one could meet. His wife Judy met Vince while attending Drexel and the two of them have become long-time supporters of Drexel Athletics. "We love this place," she said. Today, the athletics fields at 43rd and Powelton are named after Vidas. The season-ending 20-6 win by the football team over Philadelphia Military College was "the big one" and sealed an undefeated season, one for the record books. "It was a cold, snowy day which made the game at Philadelphia Military College somehow even better," Judy Vidas remembers. "We all warmed up at half time at the Frog Pond, a Chester bar, and then we were ready for the second half. This game was a big deal!"