Former state Sen. Ray Heinzen of Marshfield, a longtime advocate of educational causes in Wisconsin, died earlier this week at the age of 87.
Heinzen served four terms in the state Assembly from 1961 to 1967, and was then elected to the state Senate in 1969. During his long tenure in the Capitol, the moderate Republican championed many causes in the education field and was the prime author of legislation sought by then Democratic Gov. Patrick J. Lucey that merged the University of Wisconsin campuses with 10 former state colleges under one administration and one board of regents.