In Memory Of
Ray Anderson
1938
2020
Ray Anderson
April 5, 1938 — April 10, 2020
Ray Bertil Anderson passed peacefully on Friday, April 10, 2020 at the hospice unit at University Hospital Portage Medical Center with his family at his side to comfort him. Ray is survived by his wife and best friend of 56 years, Virginia, dedicated children Laura, Vanessa and Matthew and grandchildren Marlena, Douglas, C. Luke and Deidre. Ray was the only son born to Mary and Evert Anderson in 1938 in Moline, Illinois and had just passed his 82nd birthday on April 5.
Ray spent a happy childhood on Mary's family farm in Cedar, Iowa and in Orion, Illinois where his father Evert had extended family. He has family in Iowa and Illinois who will smile when they remember Ray. Ray graduated from Orion High School in the class of 1956 and went on to participate in the ROTC program at the University of Illinois where he graduated in 1960 with a degree in metallurgical engineering. He was proud to serve in the US Air Force from 1960 to 1966 and obtained the rank of Captain. A romantic period of Ray's life was when he met and married Virginia while they were both stationed at Ramstein AFB in Germany.
After his Air Force career, Ray worked at Texas Instruments where he felt privileged to work on a team that authored several patents. He was passionate about his work in the field of metallurgy and was honorably known as Dr. Stainless among his peers. Ray worked at International Nickel Company, Pfizer, and J&L Specialty Steel before retiring in 2001 in Kent, Ohio where he has lived for the past 40 years.
Ray spent his retirement caring for his family in Illinois, watching his grandchildren grow and feeding his mind with his passion for science and technology. Family members will remember Ray enthusiastically spouting technical jargon at the dinner table or tinkering with a new piece of electronics in his basement laboratory or just sitting on the back porch waiting for the deer to pass by. He gave back to his community as an active member at the Kent Presbyterian Church where he and Virginia held leadership roles and through his membership at American Legion Post 496.
Family and friends will remember how Ray loved well as a man of conviction, passion, integrity, a gentle spirit among us.
1 Corinthians 13
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.
Memorial services are postponed, and Ray will be interred at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery at a later date. Ray's family requests that charitable donations be directed to the American Legion and/or the Alzheimer's charity of your choice.
https://www.members.legion.org/tal/donatenow#legion-org
https://www.ohiolegion.com/donate
https://www.charitynavigator.org
Ray spent a happy childhood on Mary's family farm in Cedar, Iowa and in Orion, Illinois where his father Evert had extended family. He has family in Iowa and Illinois who will smile when they remember Ray. Ray graduated from Orion High School in the class of 1956 and went on to participate in the ROTC program at the University of Illinois where he graduated in 1960 with a degree in metallurgical engineering. He was proud to serve in the US Air Force from 1960 to 1966 and obtained the rank of Captain. A romantic period of Ray's life was when he met and married Virginia while they were both stationed at Ramstein AFB in Germany.
After his Air Force career, Ray worked at Texas Instruments where he felt privileged to work on a team that authored several patents. He was passionate about his work in the field of metallurgy and was honorably known as Dr. Stainless among his peers. Ray worked at International Nickel Company, Pfizer, and J&L Specialty Steel before retiring in 2001 in Kent, Ohio where he has lived for the past 40 years.
Ray spent his retirement caring for his family in Illinois, watching his grandchildren grow and feeding his mind with his passion for science and technology. Family members will remember Ray enthusiastically spouting technical jargon at the dinner table or tinkering with a new piece of electronics in his basement laboratory or just sitting on the back porch waiting for the deer to pass by. He gave back to his community as an active member at the Kent Presbyterian Church where he and Virginia held leadership roles and through his membership at American Legion Post 496.
Family and friends will remember how Ray loved well as a man of conviction, passion, integrity, a gentle spirit among us.
1 Corinthians 13
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.
Memorial services are postponed, and Ray will be interred at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery at a later date. Ray's family requests that charitable donations be directed to the American Legion and/or the Alzheimer's charity of your choice.
https://www.members.legion.org/tal/donatenow#legion-org
https://www.ohiolegion.com/donate
https://www.charitynavigator.org
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