Spartan hockey family gathers at Munn to say goodbye to Ron Mason (with photos)

 

By @MichaelCaples –

EAST LANSING – They gathered at Munn Ice Arena Thursday night, some of the most famous members of the Spartan hockey family.

Multiple generations of Michigan State players, coaches, staff, family and friends all gathered on the ice to honor their iconic head coach. They were there to say goodbye to Ron Mason – the man largely responsible for bringing them together in the first place.

Mason, head coach of the Michigan State men’s ice hockey program for more than two decades, passed away on Monday at age 76. His visitation and funeral service was held, fittingly, at the ice arena he called home for the majority of Mason’s legendary coaching career.

“This is kind of an extended reunion for all of us,” said Chris Luongo, a Detroit native that played for Mason and MSU from 1985-89. “Obviously not for a great reason, but I think it’s something that Ron would be proud of. He shaped all of us in his way. We were better people for it, and the remaining time we have here will be a little less without him being here to continue shaping us.”

Photos by Michael Caples/MiHockey

Public visitation began at 11 a.m. Thursday in East Lansing, with the funeral service beginning at 2 p.m. Many players were there before the doors had officially opened, and many stayed well past the formal conclusion of the event.

“I had never been more than a five-hour drive away from my house, and I flew four and a half hours across the country, not knowing anyone, to a place that I thought I was going to find success in hockey and be able to kind of mold my life and be a stepping stone to get to the NHL, and I think I put a lot of trust into [Ron],” said Shawn Horcoff, one of many who reached the NHL under Mason’s tutelage. “You go through the process, but it’s funny, because the first time I met him, I told my dad right away, I said, ‘this guy’s where I want to go.’ I could just tell that he cared; I could tell that it wasn’t just like, he was going to help not just get to the NHL, but be a man and grow up.

“Eighteen to 21 is such an important time in anyone’s life, I think especially in a male’s life, and he had just such a big impact on me, molding me. We had many, many talks. He was a guy that had a ton of meetings, especially with the guys I think he felt needed it, and he had just such a big impact on me. I can’t express enough, the gratitude I have – I just told his wife and his kids – just the impact he had on my life.”

More than 1,500 people were inside Munn Ice Arena by the time the funeral service began at 2 p.m. The eulogy was a remarkable event, with speeches from coaching colleagues Brian Gilmour, Ted Sator, Steve Cady and Tom Izzo. Longtime MSU athletic trainer Dave Carrier shared many Spartan stories, and Mason’s beloved grandchildren – Tyler and Travis Walsh – concluded the service with their own reflections.

 

The guest list reflected Mason’s impact on Michigan State athletics and college hockey as a whole. Spartan Athletics figureheads like Mark Dantonio and Mark Hollis sat in one of the front rows. Famed hockey coaches like Jerry York and Jon Cooper paid their respects from the stands. NCAA coaches like Bob Daniels, Mel Pearson, Billy Powers and Enrico Blasi were all in attendance.

“It’s hard to fathom that Ron’s no longer with us,” said George Gwozdecky, who worked as Mason’s assistant coach for five seasons before head-coaching jobs with Miami and Denver. “He was always bigger than life to so many people, including yours truly. As many of us have talked about today, he was a mentor, he was a friend, he was a teacher, he was an advisor, and I still believe that at 76 years old, he could have been coaching successfully here if he wanted to. He was one-of-a-kind, and as they say, the old cliché is that they broke the mold when Ron Mason was created. The great thing about this celebration is that it brings back so many of his friends and family and people that he touched and it’s a great reunion. It’s sad, but it’s happy, and I’m just so glad that I was able to come back.”

 

With the concluding song of MSU’s alma mater, “MSU Shadows,” Mason’s hockey family said their final goodbye to their famous head coach.

“…From “Ace” Dave Carrier to Coach Izzo to family and friends, they gave a little look into what it was like to be around Coach Mason all the time,” said Anson Carter, who played for Mason from 1992-96. “From his joking side, to his serious side, to his ego, to his humble nature, Coach Mason had it all. The important thing about Coach Mason is the way he dealt with people. When you talked to him, he made you feel like you were the No. 1 person in the room. Not everyone could do that. Some people can try to fake it, but you can see always through that. Coach Mason was that guy that you knew when he was talking to you, you had his full attention.”

And on Thursday, the attention was on the great memories the hockey world had shared with Ron Mason.

 

Watch the final tribute video played for Mason below.

 

My Way: A Tribute to Ron Masonhttps://t.co/AmtyYFlxEQ

— MSU_Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) June 17, 2016