• Courtesy of Michigan State Athletics

UPDATE: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Visitation will be held Thursday, June 16th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena, and is open to the public. The funeral proceedings will begin at 2:00 p.m.






ORIGINAL STORY: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Monday June, 13th was a sad day in the world of college hockey as it lost a legend in Ron Mason. A man who became visible not only on the campus of Michigan State University but also in the hockey community as well, left a legacy that truly will never be forgotten.

“I’m still stunned,” said Tom Anastos, current MSU Hockey head coach who played for Mason from 1981 to 1985. “Obviously, the loss of coach Mason comes as a huge shock to all of us. You’d always see him bouncing around with energy and with his intensity. To think we’re not going to see that is hard for me to get my arms around.”

MSU Hockey Assistant Coach Tom Newton was emotional as he illustrated how much Mason had impacted him. Newton played for Mason at Bowling Green and then continued that relationship with him as an assistant coach for 12 years.

“This is going to be hard for me, I knew him since I was 13 years old,” said Newton. “Played for him, coached for him, had a lot of fun with him and went through a lot of things with him.”

Both Newton and Anastos noted how many lives Mason, the man responsible for bringing them both to MSU, has impacted during his 76 years of life. “I watched him bring a lot of young men along. I was one of those young men,” Newton said. “I talked to a lot of guys, a lot of different ages, today. He had a lot of impact on a lot of people. It’s going to be a hard day for the Spartan hockey family. One of his things was to be strong, keep going on, and we’ll certainly do that, and do it in his honor.”

When Mason retired from coaching in 2002, he retired as the winningest college hockey coach with 36 years behind the bench and a record of 924-380-83, complied while at Lake Superior State, Bowling Green and MSU. In 1986 he lead the Spartans to a NCAA Championship.

His first two years at MSU he hit a two year rough patch, losing those two seasons. He survived and advanced turning the Spartans into a college hockey powerhouse, going 635-270-69 in just 23 seasons. He led the Spartans’ charge to the NCAA tournament 19 times, won seven Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) regular-season titles and 10 post-season league tournament championships.

It’s safe to say his impact on his athletes continued past graduation. Anastos who frequently got advice from Mason said he had a huge impact on his personal life and his professional career. While under Mason, the Spartans created 35 All-Americans and over 50 future NHL players.

Mason’s accolades don’t stop there, in 1992 he was named the American Hockey Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year and the CCHA’s Top Coach, seven times. He was inducted into the U.S Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013, and holds hall of fame titles at all three schools at which he coached.

Mason’s health and competitive spirit were still vibrant in his growing age. “That is what is so shocking,” Anastos said. “His competitive spirit was off the charts.”

“This was Ron Mason, he expected to win,” Newton said. “We’re in the office one day, I can’t remember how long ago it was and he yells from his desk out to Chris Smith his longtime assistant, and says ‘Chris check the lotto numbers I left my tickets on your desk.’ So of course Chris checks the numbers and I happened to be walking into his office and he says ‘Ron you didn’t win.’ Well he’s just irate and he’s like ‘well how come I don’t get to win the lottery’ and it’s like that was Ron too, very competitive guy who loved life and loved the game of hockey.”

Born Jan. 14, 1940 in Ontario, Mason is survived by his wife, Marion, daughters Tracey and Cindy, and grandsons Tyler and Travis Walsh, who finished his playing career at MSU in March. It’s said that Mason and his wife spent their time between Haslett and their home in Florida.