Died February 14, 2019,Orlando, Florida
College: Saybrook
Graduate School: Michigan State University, M.B.A., Hospitality Management, 1969
Widow: Mrs. Nancy Rapport
P.O. Box 720086
Orlando, FL 32872-0086
407-658-1615
407-658-4135 (Fax)
407-758-0438 (mobile)
rvrapport@aol.com
Reid Victor Rapport, 79, of Orlando, FL passed away suddenly on February 14, 2019, with his loving wife, Nancy, at his bedside. Reid was a member of the Yale University (Saybrook) Class of 1961. He als attended Wayne State University, and earned his Masters degree in Hospitality Management at Michiga State University. He served honorably in the U.S. Army as a Specialist E-4. A Guild-Certified Sommelier Reid was well known in Central Florida and beyond for his enthusiastic love of wine and fine food. He was a long-standing member of the Alliance of Sommeliers and was the founder of a local single malt whisky education group. He held teaching positions at Mid-Florida Tech (n/k/a Orange Technical College and the Disney Institute; always willing to share his vast knowledge. His career included positions with
Walt Disney World, two beverage wholesalers, and a partnership in Old Vines Wine Merchants. Reid was honored to b inducted into the Orlando Sentinel’s inaugural Culinary Hall of Fame. He was an active member of the Stag Club of Winter Park and the President’s Club. He was a former member of the original Orlando Rugby Club. In addition to his wife, Reid is survived by his sister, Anne Vicki Paulet (Adrian), of Dunwoody, GA; cousin, John O’Malley Burns, of Washington, VA ; nieces Anne of Eureka, CA and Cori of St. Paul, MN along with their respective spouses and children He also is survived by his brother-in-law, Thomas A. Barnette of Pompano Beach, FL and nephew, Craig T. Barnette of Jacksonville, FL along with Craig’s family. Arrangements (cremation) will be handled by Newcomer Funeral Home, Orlando. A celebratory tribute will be held at a later date. Contributions in memory of Reid may be made to the charity of your choice.
My father (Victor A. Rapport, ’26, PhD ’29) was a college dean at Wayne State in Detroit. He had always said it was not the facts you learned as much as the techniques and the disciplines. While I was hardly a stellar student, I am constantly (and still) amazed at the many things I took away from Yale and continue to use today. Of course I remember some of he outstanding classes and the instructors who taught them: Scully on Archtecture, Duke Henning in British History, and the many skills I learned from participation in the Dramat, where I learned carpentry skills as well as an introduction to many business techniques. My wife Nancy is tired of hearing me say “see that credit” or “see that actor – I went to school with that guy.”
While I continue to serve as a Fine Wines Consultant (and to do the required extensive research, which is the most intriguing part), I am now retired from my participation in Military Reenactments. I have been in Florida since 1971 and have “done” everything from Spanish 1565 to civil war. The majority of my participation was during the Bicentennia,l and, since Florida was a British colony at the time, we became and carried on the tradition of the 60th Regiment of Foot, “the Royal Americans.” As a retired Captain, I wish I could share with my classmates and the community, the experience and emotions I learned from recreating “living history” through the time period. Much of what is taught as American history of the Revolution is (as was later stated) “bunk”. As reenactors, we experienced the humiliation, crushing of pride and loss of identity as our fifes and drums marched us to the surrender in the field at Yorktown, As a re-enactor, I went “in character” to schools and talked about why Florida was British, and why the business about sharpshooters behind trees was faulty,
It was the things I learned at Yale which enabled me to become a better educator:
While serving in education in the Army as a Training Instructor;
While teaching for ten years in the Florida tourism industry after earning my MBA;
During my subsequent career as a private consultant to culinary enterprises here in Orlando (Walt Disney World, Church Street Station, Disneyland Paris); and
Teaching in the Hotel Management Program at the University of Central Florida
Oh yes — and everything I learned (mostly through the Dramat) about “staging” whether it was props for teaching course or the best way to recreate an eighteenth century battle.
Oh — I forgot — and because of my experience (field manager, not player) with the newborn Rugby Club at Yale, I was a participant both with the Chicago Lions and the Orlando Griffons — but I suppose that’s another story