Ferris State Athletics Mourns Passing Of Legendary Head Coach Ray Helsing
Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University Athletics recently lost one of the legendary head coaches in Bulldog history as former track and field/cross country coach Ray Helsing passed away on Monday (Dec. 15) morning at the age of 88.
Helsing, who guided the Bulldog cross country along with track and field programs from 1968-82, was inducted into the Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001 and no coach in Ferris history tutored more All-Americans. He helped produce more than 20 All-Americans in cross country and track and was best known for founding and coaching Ferris State cross country, leading his teams to a 77-17 dual meet mark and four Great Lakes Conference titles.
"We have lost one of the all-time great Bulldogs," said FSU Athletics Director Perk Weisenburger. "Coach Helsing will be always be remembered for his contributions to Ferris State and our student-athletes. Our thoughts and well wishes go out to the Helsing family."
In 2009, Ferris State's annual home cross country meet at Katke Golf Course was renamed the "Ray Helsing Bulldog Invitational" to help honor Ray Helsing and create awareness for the scholarship endowment founded in 2007 in his name.
Twice named NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year, Helsing also served as president of the NCAA-II Cross Country Coaches Association. In 1980, he led FSU to a fourth place finish at the D-II Championships.
Helsing, who was born in 1926, coached 15 All-Americans in the men's indoor and outdoor track programs. In addition, he began the swimming program, serving as head coach from 1970-72. From 1969-75, he had a 53-39 mark as the school's second men's tennis coach.
A graduate of Springfield (MA) College, Helsing competed in track and cross country while in college and was honored by his alma mater when a classmate founded the Ray Helsing Student Scholarship Fund with a $500,000 gift.
Those wishing to help honor Helsing's legacy by contributing to the Ray Helsing Scholarship Endowment can contact FSU Athletics Advancement Officer Will Goode at (231) 591-3818 or via email at goodew@ferris.edu. Memorial gifts can also be made online by visiting the link below.
https://ebill.ferris.edu/C20079_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=2366&SINGLESTORE=true
RAY HELSING OBITUARY:
Raymond Helsing was born November 14, 1926 to Marie and Raymond H. Helsing in Indianapolis, Ind. He passed away on December 15, 2014 in Fort Worth, Texas after a prolonged illness.
Ray spent his childhood years in Michigan City, Ind., where he met and married MaryJane Dunlop. After graduation from Elston High School in 1944, Ray attended Purdue University for one year where he lettered in Track and Cross Country. He then served two years in the United States Army in Linz, Austria during the latter years of and after WWII.
He attended Springfield College in Springfield, Mass. ('50) where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and lettered in Track and Cross Country. While working on his Master of Science degree, Ray inaugurated Louisiana State University's Cross Country program in 1951.
After receiving his master's, Ray taught, coached, and worked in schools in Georgia and Illinois, the Detroit YMCA and The Detroit Institute of Technology. He joined the faculty of Ferris State University in Big Rapids in 1964 where he taught Health and Physical Education and coached Cross Country, Track and Field, Tennis, and Swimming.
During his tenure at Ferris, Ray was named Outstanding Educator for Higher Education and was awarded Professorship in 1982. In his 16 years of coaching Cross Country at Ferris, he was four times the state coach of the year, three times the regional coach of the year, and was named national president of the NCAA Division II Cross Country Coaches Association. He led his teams to the national meet numerous times. Coach Helsing produced 23 All-Americans at Ferris before retiring in 1988. In 2001, Ray was named to the Ferris State University Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame.
Ray retired to Sarasota, Fla., where he remained active in the athletic community, his church, and the FSU community there. In 2012, he moved to Fort Worth, Texas. Ray is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, MaryJane Helsing. He is also survived by three children: Dr. Patricia Bradley (Jim) of Fort Worth, Texas; David Helsing (Judy) of Chesterfield, Mich.; Katherine Bray (Bill) of The Woodlands, Texas; and seven grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on December 29th in Fort Worth, Texas. Donations may be made to the Ray Helsing Men's Cross Country and Track Scholarship Endowment at Ferris State University.