NeveHarms Ray White graduated from Woodruff High School in 1945. He was an All-Conference Guard in football and when his Navy career was over, he played football at Bradley under Coach A. J. Robertson.
Always active in sports, he volunteered and was the head scorekeeper at Bradley from 1955-1983. He also kept score for the Bradley women's basketball team from 1981-1988. Ray also kept score for the IBCA All Star games at Illinois State and Bradley. He was also responsible for the supersectional games at Robertson field house in 1979 and 1980. He also kept score for Peoria Central basketball games and also at the Pekin Holiday Tournament.
If there was a high school basketball game or football game, Ray was there in some capacity. His volunteering continued when he co-founded the Peoria Girls Sport League Softball and Basketball leagues, along with Carol May, last yearís Neve Harms winner.
He coached in Peoria Central's Little League program, and in 1993 Ray was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a friend of basketball.
Every quality that Neve Harms had, was exemplified in Ray White's life.
Peoria and the sports world lost one of its finest when Ray was stricken with a fatal heart attack last Thanksgiving night. [written 1998]
Ray is survived by his wife Marge, daughters Patti, Julie, Mary, Annie, and son Mike.
| LARRY LEITNER Larry Leitner was among the state's elite officials for more than 40 years, officiating high school, college and professional sporting events from 1960 through 2003 and he remains involved in sports by serving on the board of directors for the Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament, as well as evaluating current officials and moderating IHSA rules clinics.
Among his officiating highlights, Leitner worked more IHSA basketball and football tournament games than any official in the state's history, earning 27 consecutive boys basketball regional assignments. He also worked the IHSA boys basketball state finals in 1973, 1974 and 1976, including the 1976 championship game, and three IHSA football finals, including the first-ever 2A state championship game in 1974. A charter member of the Gateway Conference officiating crew in 1988, Leitner was part of the crew that officiated the 1990 and 1993 NCAA Division I-AA quarterfinals and he served as an associate official for the Big Ten Conference from 1984-88. Leitner also was called upon to officiate two IESA state championship games, the 1990 National Catholic Basketball finals, three Shriner All-Star football games and the 1980 IBCA All-Star Classic, while also working for two seasons in the Midwest Professional Football League. Leitner is a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, Peoria Officials and Bloomington/Normal Officials Halls of Fame. |  |