Former Richland administrator, a champion to students with disabilities, dies
A longtime Tri-City school administrator, who “always had a heart for kids,” has died.
Andrew “Don” Donald Ray died Oct. 24 in Richland. He was 87.
Ray worked at Richland School District for three decades between 1961 and 1991, first as a special education teacher and eventually as the program’s director.
The Marine Corps veteran was a champion for all students. He helped bring Special Olympics — and Judo — to the Tri-Cities.
His wife of nearly four decades, Bernice Ray, described him as “a man who had absolutely no enemies.” He died of pulmonary fibrosis, despite living a very active lifestyle, she said.
“He loved children and dedicated his life volunteering to the community,” she told the Tri-City Herald. “He was a great husband, dad, grandpa, uncle, brother and friend.”
Friends who knew him said Ray was a “river rat” who loved fishing and recreating on the Columbia River. He spent many hours on the water with his three sons, granddaughters, nephews and friends.
Ray was born in Butte, Mont., and spent his early years living in Salt Lake City. In 1943, he was 7 when his family moved to Richland so his father could take a job working for the Manhattan Project at the B Reactor.
After high school, Ray attended Central Washington University, where he earned his master’s degree in education. He served in the Marines from 1955-1958, and was discharged as a sergeant.
As he began his teaching career, Ray also brought the sport of Judo to Richland. He taught and participated in many tournaments with his sons Donny and Kenny for more than 13 years, and was a black belt.
Ray served on multiple boards, including the Tri-Cities Residential Services and the Emmaus Counseling Center. He served as grand marshal of the West Richland Veterans Day Parade, and also was named the city’s “Volunteer of the Year.”
He also read for the Evergreen Radio Reading Service for the blind at WSU. And his greatest pleasure was serving as a Sunday school teacher at HIllspring Church for several years.
A service is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12, at the Hillspring Church on West Gage Boulevard.
