from the USTA Communications Department

Columbus, OH — Robert Ray, 93, of Pensacola, Fla., died April 24, 2017, at Solaris Health Care, Pensacola.

He was born in Skowhegan, Maine, to Walter and Mary Josephine (Arsenault) Ray. His childhood was spent in Anson, Maine.

He served in the United States Army Air Corp during World War II as a radio operator on a B17 aircraft in the European Campaign. He received a Purple Heart and Distinguished Service Cross. After the war he continued his education at the University of New Hampshire and received a degree in Electrical Engineering.

In the 1950s his love turned to horses and harness racing. He raced up and down the east coast with his young family. Then his business career in the high tech field brought the family to live in many states until they settled in California and later moved back to New England before settling on the Gulf coast in his later years.

Mr. Ray is survived by his wife of 65 years, Barbara; children, Carol Godwin, Matthew, Jim (Lynn) and Cindi (Bill) Olmstead; grandchildren, Jessica, Aimee, Robert, Christine, Jamie, Ashley, Carly, Alison and Katie; and many great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his only brother, Donald, in 2015; and son-in-law, Robert C. Godwin, in 2016.