FREEDOM.

up playing high school sports in mining towns. He later studied and played at Mines, where he lettered in football and wrestling. He was also an All-American lineman for the Orediggers, heavily involved with fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon, and was named Mr. Engineer during the annual E-Days celebration.

He graduated with an engineering degree in 1963, and served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for two years before returning to Mines to coach swimming and football.

He was named Mines’ head football coach in 1969.

Over the next 26 years, he won a then-school-record 84 games, was the RMAC Coach of the Year in 1975 and 1979, and coached 13 AllAmericans and 50 All-Conference players. After his coaching days, he served as Mines athletic director for nine years.

In addition to his career in athletics, Kay was also a professor and fundraiser for the university. He was also famously the inspiration for Marvin the Miner, one of the Orediggers’ mascots.

In 2015, the university named its football stadium in his honor, and in 2019, he was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.

Along with all his extensive work at and for Colorado School of Mines, Kay was very involved in the Golden community — its civic organizations and local government.

He served on Golden City Council from 1986 to 1998, including as mayor from 1988 to 1996. Laura Weinberg, Golden’s current mayor, recalled how Kay was a wonderful mentor and supporter for so many in the city.

‘His legacy lives on’

During his time on City Council,

Kay was instrumental in approving the city’s capital improvement sales tax. is helped fund improvements to Washington Avenue, expanding the water treatment plant, building numerous recreation amenities, and establishing the Golden Community Center.

Kay also helped start Leadership Golden, served as the Golden Chamber of Commerce president, and served the Golden Civic Foundation for more than 30 years.

GCF recently honored Kay with