Ray Torry

Mr. Ray Torry was born in 1933 in Williamson, Illinois, and graduated from Livingston High School in 1951.  During high school, he played baseball and basketball and played four years of baseball for Illinois State University, where he earned his bachelor’s in health and physical education and a master’s in educational administration. In 1955, he began teaching and coaching at Leroy High School. His career at Leroy was interrupted by 2 years in the Army, then continued until 1964, when he was hired by Washington Community High School in Washington, Illinois, where he served as principal and superintendent.

He believed in giving girls the opportunity to play competitive sports and was a member of the Illinois High School Association Sports Advisory Committee.  The WCHS girls' basketball team placed second in 1977 in the first Illinois state H.S. basketball tournament for girls.

On June 2, 1989, the East Gymnasium was renamed Raymond R. Torry Gymnasium in honor of Ray Torry’s 25 years of service to WCHS. He passed away on November 28, 2021.