Ray mansfield steelers obituary search

That Ray Mansfield would head off for a four-day hike in the Grand Canyon, even in the middle of football season, was no surprise to those who knew him.

The former University of Washington and Pittsburgh Steeler lineman was nicknamed "Ranger" for his love of the outdoors.

That's where he died Saturday.

The body of the year-old was flown out of the canyon by helicopter yesterday, and the Coconino County (Ariz.) medical examiner was to conduct an autopsy, a Park Service spokeswoman said. With Mansfield's family history of cardiac illness and no signs of trauma, the Park Service preliminarily said he died of natural causes.

Mansfield played on two Super Bowl teams for the Steelers and three seasons for the University of Washington in the early s.

"He was an adventurer," said former Steeler defensive lineman John Banaszak, who once joined Mansfield in a climb up Col