Public Visitation and Funeral Service For Coach Ron Mason on Thursday at Munn
Public Visitation and Funeral Service For Coach Ron Mason on Thursday at Munn
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Funeral service at 2 p.m.
EAST LANSING – A public funeral service for former Michigan State hockey coach and athletics director Ron Mason will be held on Thursday, June 16 at Munn Ice Arena. The funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. and will be preceded by a public viewing beginning at 11 a.m. on the ice at Munn.
Parking for the visitation and funeral service will be at Parking Ramp 5, located behind the Communication Arts Building, with shuttle service to Munn Ice Arena. Shuttles to Munn will begin at 10:30 a.m. and run until 4 p.m.
Obituary for Ronald H. Mason
Palm Beach Shores, Florida, formerly of Haslett, Michigan
Ronald H. Mason, Age 76, of Palm Beach Shores, Fla., died suddenly on June 13, 2016 in Haslett.
Ron was born in Blyth, Ontario on January 14, 1940, the son of Harvey and Agnes Mason. He graduated from Seaforth District High School, received a bachelor's degree from St. Lawrence in 1964, a master’s degree from Pittsburgh in 1965 and an honorary doctorate from Michigan State in 2001.
Ron began coaching college hockey in 1966 at Lake Superior State before moving to Bowling Green in 1973. His career at Michigan State began in 1979 where he remained until 2002 when he transitioned into the role of Michigan State Athletic Director until his retirement in 2007.
Ron’s greatest joys were his grandsons and during retirement he found great pride in supporting their hockey careers and achievements. He split his time between Singer Island, Florida and Port Albert, Ontario and enjoyed fishing, following all Michigan State sports and spending time with his many tremendous friends.
He is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, Lake Superior Sports Hall of Fame, St. Lawrence University Sports Hall of Fame, Bowling Green Athletics Hall of Fame, Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame. He is a recipient of the American Hockey Coaches Association John MacInnes Award and was named the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundations "Legend of Hockey" in 2004.
Ron is survived by his wife of 53 years, Marion, daughters Tracey and Cindy and grandsons Tyler and Travis (Chelsea) Walsh. He was predeceased by sister, Marion Rowe, in December, 2015.
There will be a public viewing from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, 2016 with a public memorial service at 2 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena on the campus of Michigan State University. Interment will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 18th at Christ Church Anglican Cemetery in Port Albert, Ontario.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Ron Mason Hockey Endowment Fund for Men’s Varsity Ice Hockey at Michigan State University, Spartan Fund MSU, 535 Chestnut Rd., Room 200, East Lansing, MI 48824-4005 or the Ron Mason Fund at Sparrow Hospital 1215 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, MI 48909.
