When the Empire State Games hold their opening ceremonies Wednesday night, it will be the first time since 1998 that the man with the widest of smiles, strongest of gaits and firmest of waves won't be leading the way.

Lou Reuter, a Town of Tonawanda resident who was the Western Region director for 11 years,

died last August after a lengthy battle with cancer. Doug Ames, who served on Reuter's lead

staff for 10 Games, was promoted to regional director and will be out front with the

red-and-blue Western banner when the team enters University at Buffalo Stadium.

"I wrote to Doug Ames," said Lou's widow, Judy, during a recent interview in the Reuters'

Town of Tonawanda home. " "You wear that jacket with pride when you march in for Opening

Ceremonies,' I said. And he will."

She recalled her message to Ames with a tone that was direct, authoritative and loving all

at the same time — and sounding very much like her late husband.

Reuter's leadership has been credited for aiding Western's longtime success at the Empire

State Games, and his enthusiasm extended beyond Western New York and to the entire Games team.

"Lou was honestly the soul of our organization," said Empire State Games Director Fred

Smith, who is based in Albany with the state's Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic

Preservation. "He was such a gentleman and his heart

was always here in Western New York. Lou pushed very hard to get Buffalo selected as the host

of this year's Games."

"It's such a shame that he's no longer with us. He'll always be in our hearts, and he'll be

in the hearts and minds of athletes who are competing."

Reuter continued his regional duties during his battle with cancer. He participated in the

2008 Games in Binghamton while taking pills for his chemotherapy treatments for a melanoma on

his abdomen that was diagnosed two months earlier. Last year's Games, scheduled for the Hudson

Valley, were not fully funded by the state and later canceled.

"He was really upset when they didn't have them last year," said Judy, "and he tried so

hard to hang on, he really did, so he could lead that contingent in [at Opening Ceremonies].

Well, he'll be there. He'll be there in spirit, that's for sure. I know he'll be there."

Reuter is remembered by many for his more than 40 years as a Kenmore East teacher and

football coach, as well as his three terms as a member of the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School

Board.

But from spring into summer, Reuter would spend many a night on the phone with coaches,

parents or reporters until midnight, then work a few hours more on Empire State Games matters.

As regional director he oversaw the coaching and organization for Western, not just leading up

to and during the four-day event, but year-round.

The Reuters, who celebrated their 50th anniversary last June, became involved with the

Games in 1980 when daughters Gretchen and Sue participated in synchronized swimming and son

Peter competed as a wrestler.

Lou became so enamored with the Olympic-style, multisport event — which was the

nation's first such state-wide competition — that Judy nearly had to muzzle her husband

while they traveled during their retirement.

"We met in Germany [when he was in the Army and she on a Catholic pilgrimage tour] and

visited there and several different countries, the last one was Russia," Judy said. "Every

time we went on a trip, we'd meet people from all over the country, and eventually when Lou

would start talking to them, guess what would come up? New York State Empire Games."

"I finally said to him once, "If you talk about that one more time, I'm not going on any

more trips with you,'" she said with a laugh. "So I limited him to about five minutes of

talking about the Games. He just loved them so."

Reuter was a longtime supporter of his Tonawanda community ("He thought there was so much

to offer in this area," said Judy, "especially for the children."). His Games post allowed him

to become what friends and family described as a "diplomat" and an "ambassador" for the area

as well as the Games.

"Lou was the sprit of the Games in the Western Region," said Western field hockey coach

Pete Tonsoline, who coaches the sport at Iroquois and has been involved with the Games for 19

years. "For Lou, it was all about the athletes. He would do anything he had to do to promote

the Games, to help you out. He was just tireless. You would call him up and he would have an

answer, or he would check on it and get right back to you. He would come to the practices and

stop in and see how things were. We really miss him."

Some Western teams will be paying tribute to Reuter during the Games. The wrestling squad

will wear special T-shirts while the men's scholastic soccer team (coached by Kenmore East

Hall of Famer Michael DiNunzio) will wear armbands.

"He lived for the Empire State Games," said Ames, who is athletics director at Newfane.

"[Having the Games in Buffalo] is a tribute to what Lou stood for and believed in, and why he

did what he did: why he was an educator, why he was a board member. He always had the

student-athlete in mind. He always wanted them to improve. He wanted the best for kids, and

the Empire Games were another chance for them to showcase their very best — get on that

team, get that exposure, get into college. It's just one more avenue. And that's exactly what

Lou was all about. He wanted the very best for kids and to showcase kids, because kids came

first."

Reuter loved words, and as he did with his students and his Kenmore East football players

(known in Reuter-speak as "Little Tigers"), he enjoyed introducing new items into his

grandchildren's vocabulary. Judy told a story about how 12-year-old Evan played so well at a

lacrosse game that a college coach told him he was "tenacious."

At which point Evan turned to his mother and said, "That's a grandpa word."

"That's part of granddad's legacy — he loved to challenge them," said Judy. "He loved

to challenge them to be their best. And certainly that is part of the Empire State Games.

"It's very interesting because the theme this year is "Belief Ignites the Fire.' He ran the

Olympic torch [relay in 2002 for the Salt Lake City Games], and that theme was "Light the Fire

Within.' When I saw the theme for the Empire State Games this year, I got goose bumps."

On Wednesday night, when the ESG torch is run through UB Stadium and lights the cauldron to

officially open the Games, Judy will be there, along with her daughters and many

grandchildren. The Reuters' 10th grandchild was born to Susan in December and will probably

stay back with a baby-sitter — he is named Louis, after his grandfather.

Reuter was honored at the Kenmore East-Kenmore West football game last October, at the

inaugural Lou Reuter Memorial Scholarship 5K in May, and on July 28 the Kensington Lions

All-Star High School Football Game will dedicate its 35th annual game to him.

"I think this is almost the hardest thing," said Judy. "It's going to be hard, but we'll

get through that — that's fine. It's for him, so we're going to represent him. I may

shed a few tears, I may or I may not, I don't know. I'll try not to, but "

"I just think of him — he was a good person. Not that we didn't have our

disagreements at times, but not many. But he was a good person. He was faithful to his church,

and his family, and his community, and you can't ask for more than that in life, you know?"