A long-time volunteer for the Weyburn Red Wings, including serving as team president, Tom Huston, died on July 23 at the age of 93 years.

"Mr. Red Wing" received numerous awards for his volunteer efforts to help not only hockey, but figure skating, minor ball, his church and community, most recently receiving a Volunteer of the Year Award from the Red Wings at their awards night this past spring.

"He was a hard worker and he had a real passion for the Weyburn Red Wings. He was a believer in them and supported them 100 per cent. He came into the office every morning, even right up to the end, and he enjoyed that," said Wings head coach Dwight McMillan. "He's going to be sadly missed by all of us in the hockey world."

Huston was involved in the formation of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, helping to write the league's constitution, and served a term as chairman of the league's Board of Directors, as well first serving on the board of the Red Wings in 1970, going on to serve as team president from 1971-74.

Tom Huston was born to Frank and Louise Huston on Nov. 28, 1913 on Jim Sherrick's farm 10 miles northwest of Weyburn, where he grew up, taking the Soo Line train into Weyburn to visit or to play hockey.

He worked in the late 1930s at Standard Dairy, and married Bertha (Flaaten) on July 12, 1941. The year after his marriage, he joined the Engineers Corps, and was made corporal before he was shipped off to Scotland in September of 1943.

He and Bertha had three children, daughters Audrey and Maryann and son Roger. Following the war, Huston began a 32-year career working in the power plant for the Saskatchewan Hospital (Souris Valley), retiring in 1978.

During the 1960s and 70s, he was heavily involved in hockey, ball and figure skating, serving as president of the Weyburn Figure Skating Club for many years, president of Weyburn Minor Ball, and president of the Red Wings. Huston umpired for 10 years, he coached the 1962 Sandlot team to a second place finish at provincials, and in 1950 coached a bantam hockey team to provincials.

He began selling his famous Red Wings Hockey Board in 1963, and up until this year was involved in some way with the Red Wings, such as selling Co-op cash, delivering their mail and preparing the hockey award trophies.

"He even did personal interviews with all the players and put in player writeups in the programs. He liked to get his two hours in at the office every day," said coach McMillan.

During the hockey season, Tom always took his customary seat in the red section right above the Wings bench, and rarely ever missed a game.

"When we were thinking of Dad's involvement in the community, he certainly had a strong commitment, as he felt he should give back to the community," said son Roger. "He valued the friendships he made very much. He was very appreciative of the people he worked with, and the people in the Red Wings office sure looked after him well."

On his 80th birthday, the Red Wings presented him with a team jersey signed by all of the players, and for his 90th birthday, in November of 2003, he was presented with a team jacket, and was recognized at a Wings game for all of his contributions to the organization.

In an interview in 2005, Huston said his fondest memories of the hockey club were of when they won their two national championships.

Some of the many accolades that came his way included the Golden Spike Award from the Chamber of Commerce (of which he was also a lifetime member); the Sportsman of the Year award in 1974 from the Comp School, for his contributions to minor sports; a Citizen of the Week award from CTV in 1988; a life membership in the Legion awarded in 1989; twice he was named as Weyburn's parade marshal, in 1986 and 1989; a plaque for outstanding contributions to Figure Skating in Saskatchewan in 1981; a volunteer award from the Canadian Hockey Association in 2001; and his most recent volunteer award from the Red Wings.

The funeral for Tom Huston was held on Monday afternoon from Zion Lutheran Church, and interment was at Green Acres cemetery.