Courtesy photo Courtesy of Breakwater Federal Credit Union Jerry MacInnes, right, poses with Paula Megowen of Breakwater Federal Credit Union in this 2023 photo.

CHASSELL — Michigan Technological University mourned the loss of one of the biggest hockey fans when Jerry J. MacInnes passed away Thursday at age 99. She was a mainstay at Huskies hockey games throughout her life, continuing to support the team her husband John had coached for a further 43 years after his passing in 1983.

“Michigan Tech Athletics is saddened to hear of the passing of Jerry MacInnes,” said Michigan Tech Vice President for Athletics & Recreation Suzanne Sanregret. “She had a remarkable presence in the Michigan Tech community, and was the ultimate supporter of Huskies hockey.”

Long-time Huskies fan Paul Kerttu summed up his love and respect for Jerry.

“She was a great person,” he said. “She was a great individual. She was really nice with me every time I had contact with her …”

In the book, “Michigan Tech Hockey: 100 years of memories” by William J. Sproule and Calvin Larson, Jerry was one of two special fans, along with Kerttu. To be mentioned alongside her meant the world to Kerttu.

“Jerry McInnes was the ultimate hockey fan at Michigan Tech,” said Kerttu. “It was a great, great honor to be just mentioned with her on that page. She was the greatest fan for Michigan Tech hockey. I was just thinking now she’s up at Heaven next to John, and they were two of the greatest individuals I ever met in my life.”

Jerry was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, the daughter of John J. Honey and his wife, Inis. She graduated from Millcreek High School and earned her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1948.

She married the love of her life, John, on July 10, 1948, and they moved to Houghton in 1956 when John was named the coach of the Huskies, a position he held for 26 years (1956-82).

The couple raised two children, son Scott and daughter Patricia.

Over the years, Patricia remained touched by how the Copper Country embraced her mother.

“Gosh, the whole community has always just been so supportive of the family,” she said. “That has meant so much to us.

“Part of the tribute is we’re hearing from so many of the old hockey players right now. She stayed very close with a lot of the players, especially the ones that played for my dad and stuff. So, we’re hearing just a lot of really neat stuff from them.”

While raising Scott and Patricia, Jerry and the kids joined John for road trips. That gave the children an experience not many get.

“We had a relatively rich life in that area as far as travel goes, including to Erie, Toronto, and Winnipeg, Denver, St. Louis, Boston,” Patricia said. “We were included in all that, went to the Great Lakes Invitational most years, things like that. So, I would say, for kids from the Copper Country, that was a bit unique and a blessing for us.”

With her husband coaching for 26 seasons, Jerry did her best to be supportive of him.

“They were a partnership,” Patricia said. “She took to heart his vision, and took that to carry it on. The hockey was just in her blood. She lived and breathed it.”

Jerry often hosted hockey players at the family home during breaks in the season, because often, the players could not go home during those breaks. The former players fondly remember those experiences, and have often shared their memories of those experiences with Scott.

“I think one of the things that I recognized through the whole thing is it didn’t matter if you were a player, or a student trainer, or someone that worked at the rink, he kind of treated everybody the same,” he said. “During a lot of these reunions, we had a lot of people, like student managers, and people come back and just say, ‘I felt as much of the team as the players did.’ Everybody that was involved in his programs and stuff, was treated equally. I think that was something that I think people have brought back to us many, many times.”

Jerry was a member and Elder of Portage Lake United Church. She was past president and member of Chapter DJ of the P.E.O. Sisterhood.

She was also past president of the MTU Huskies Club, as well as serving on the board of the Hockey Advisory Committee. She was inducted into the Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.

Sanregret spoke of how Jerry remained vocal in her support of Michigan Tech hockey, and even shared her own thoughts on how to keep the Huskies relevant as the college hockey landscape changed, something that John had been passionate about making happen throughout his life.

“Jerry was always sincere with her suggestions, consistently offering thoughtful and well-considered guidance with the long-term success of the program always in mind,” Sanregret said. “I valued her opinion and mentorship deeply. While she proudly carried forward John’s legacy, she also created a lasting legacy of her own through her continued involvement with the program after his passing. She shared an incredible bond with the former players who competed under John–one that endured long after their time in Houghton. We will miss seeing her at the Mac and are grateful she was able to spend meaningful time with her children in her final days.”

So involved was Jerry as a fan, that her son Scott joked it was not always easy to sit near her.

“I think that trying to sit next to her at a hockey game was an experience in itself,” he said. “People that sat around us, everybody else, everybody knew her. I mean, she was a cheerleader, second to none.”