Story from Linfield
Athletics:
REMEMBERING TED HENRY, 1939-2018
Longtime football coach and Linfield
College staff member Ted Henry passed away Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, in
McMinnville at age 79.
"Ted was the longtime right-hand man to Ad Rutschman. He was intensely loyal to Ad and to Linfield, and just as importantly, to our overall Linfield family. We will miss this great man terribly," said Linfield director of athletics Garry Killgore.
A 2000 Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and 1960 Linfield graduate, Henry was a fixture on Rutschman's coaching staff during a remarkable run of success in the 1980s that included three NAIA national championships. In total, he was offensive coordinator and line coach for 23 seasons under Rutschman and assisted the football program with recruiting as time allowed. In 1991, he retired from coaching alongside Rutschman. Henry also spent five seasons as Linfield's head wrestling coach.
Linfield football coach Joseph Smith, who played under Rutschman and Henry in the early 1990s, called Henry "a rock…someone who is ever consistent; someone who you can absolutely count upon. He is the epitome of the high output yet low ego character trait that defines the best of Linfield Football."
Henry played and learned the game's finer points under Hall of Fame coach Paul Durham in the late 1950s. A team captain, he played the defensive middle guard position and was named a second team Little All-West Coast selection. His college career began at Boise Junior College (now Boise State) where he played football for two years before transferring to Linfield.
Henry first met Rutschman, a 1954 Linfield graduate, when interviewing for a Hillsboro High School freshman football coaching and math teaching job. The next year, he was promoted to varsity line coach. Hillsboro won the 1966 state championship and reached the semifinals in 1967 with Rutschman as coach and Henry assisting.
In 1968, Rutschman succeeded Durham as Wildcats football coach and the following year, Henry came to Linfield to teach mathematics and be an assistant football coach. He eventually became the college's director of administrative computing, holding that position until his full retirement in 2004.
"It was a true honor to have been coached by Coach Henry. It was an even greater honor to consider him a mentor and friend," said Smith. "I looked forward to discussing our games with him at the Covenant Church on Sundays. His wisdom and cut to the quick insight was invaluable to me, as was his example of to how to live an impactful life. His relationship with Mrs. Henry is to be celebrated. Together they were quite a team. He was a strong man of faith. Few men can surpass Coach Henry in living up to the standard of being a true Man of Action and a Wall for Those in Need. We are going to miss him a lot."
At the time of his Hall of Fame induction, Henry looked back on his Linfield coaching career and said, "I am most proud of being a part of a program that emphasized building character and teaching players how to be successful in life."
Henry remained loyal to Linfield until his death, continuing to attend home football games with his wife, Elsie, and sit in the staff section, even after a stroke several years ago hindered his mobility. He also was a longtime member of the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame Selection Committee.
"Ted was the longtime right-hand man to Ad Rutschman. He was intensely loyal to Ad and to Linfield, and just as importantly, to our overall Linfield family. We will miss this great man terribly," said Linfield director of athletics Garry Killgore.
A 2000 Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and 1960 Linfield graduate, Henry was a fixture on Rutschman's coaching staff during a remarkable run of success in the 1980s that included three NAIA national championships. In total, he was offensive coordinator and line coach for 23 seasons under Rutschman and assisted the football program with recruiting as time allowed. In 1991, he retired from coaching alongside Rutschman. Henry also spent five seasons as Linfield's head wrestling coach.
Linfield football coach Joseph Smith, who played under Rutschman and Henry in the early 1990s, called Henry "a rock…someone who is ever consistent; someone who you can absolutely count upon. He is the epitome of the high output yet low ego character trait that defines the best of Linfield Football."
Henry played and learned the game's finer points under Hall of Fame coach Paul Durham in the late 1950s. A team captain, he played the defensive middle guard position and was named a second team Little All-West Coast selection. His college career began at Boise Junior College (now Boise State) where he played football for two years before transferring to Linfield.
Henry first met Rutschman, a 1954 Linfield graduate, when interviewing for a Hillsboro High School freshman football coaching and math teaching job. The next year, he was promoted to varsity line coach. Hillsboro won the 1966 state championship and reached the semifinals in 1967 with Rutschman as coach and Henry assisting.
In 1968, Rutschman succeeded Durham as Wildcats football coach and the following year, Henry came to Linfield to teach mathematics and be an assistant football coach. He eventually became the college's director of administrative computing, holding that position until his full retirement in 2004.
"It was a true honor to have been coached by Coach Henry. It was an even greater honor to consider him a mentor and friend," said Smith. "I looked forward to discussing our games with him at the Covenant Church on Sundays. His wisdom and cut to the quick insight was invaluable to me, as was his example of to how to live an impactful life. His relationship with Mrs. Henry is to be celebrated. Together they were quite a team. He was a strong man of faith. Few men can surpass Coach Henry in living up to the standard of being a true Man of Action and a Wall for Those in Need. We are going to miss him a lot."
At the time of his Hall of Fame induction, Henry looked back on his Linfield coaching career and said, "I am most proud of being a part of a program that emphasized building character and teaching players how to be successful in life."
Henry remained loyal to Linfield until his death, continuing to attend home football games with his wife, Elsie, and sit in the staff section, even after a stroke several years ago hindered his mobility. He also was a longtime member of the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame Selection Committee.
Ted is survived by Elsie '89, son Mark '81,
and daughter Lori. The Henrys would have marked 60 years of marriage on
September 6.
