Raymond A. Adee died Dec. 24, 2015, in Newton. He was born Feb. 22 to Bennett and Marie (Montague) Adee near Wells. On Dec. 20, 1946 he married Barbara Boardman. They recently celebrated 69 years of happy marriage.
Ray was a mechanical engineering graduate of Kansas State University, and a member of the school’s track team and Blue Key Honor Student. Taking a break from KSU, Ray served as a 1st Lt. in the Army Air Force, specializing in Radar Countermeasures aboard B24s, flying combat missions in Europe.
Through the years he was a member of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Kansas Chamber Research and Development Council and the KSU Engineering Advisory Council. Ray was a charter member of the KSU Engineering Hall of Fame, KSU President’s Club and KSU Foundation director.
Ray was Chief Engineer for Krause Plow in Hutchinson, Vice President of Engineering for Hesston Corporation and a member of their board of directors. He held over 40 U.S. patents, several of which were industry firsts.
A longtime member and elder of First Presbyterian Church in Newton, Ray was a charter member of the church’s permanent endowment fund. Ray and Barbara funded numerous college scholarships as he took great enjoyment seeing the progression of talented students, particularly young engineers.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara, son Ronald (Elaine) of New York, sister Martha Edgar of Cape Cod, brother Ellis (Donna) of Wells, sister Phyliss Cline, Minneapolis, brother Grover of Medford, OR. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews and countless friends. Ray truly “never met a stranger.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and brothers Russell of Costa Rica, Aubrey of Minneapolis, Don of California and Maurice of California.
Memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 6, 2015 at First Presbyterian Church in Newton, Kansas with The Reverend Deborah Hollifield presiding. Private family inurnment will be in the Greenwood Cemetery, Newton, Kansas.
Memorials are suggested to First Presbyterian Church Permanent Endowment Fund c/o Petersen Funeral Home.
I had the honor of caring for Ray and it was a privilege to know him! He always made me smile and made my day a little brighter at work. My prayers go out to his wife Barbara and his family. He will be truly missed.
We will miss you so much, Ray. Wish we lived closer and could have visited more often.
Barb, our prayers are with you.
Ellis & Donna Adee
Ray was a really great friend and I will miss him. Unfortunately I will be out of town and miss his memorial.
Thoughts are with you Barbara at this time of tremendous loss.
Love, Dave
Ray was an extremely talented innovator and engineer who’s positive contribution to the world’s agricultural mechanization is immeasureable. Such a humble man who came from a humble beginning should serve as an example for all of us. God bless his soul and his surviving family in the celebration of his exemplary life.
Jerry and Janice Wilbeck
Ron and Barbara, I am really sorry to hear about Ray. My sister and I stopped in to see him as we were moving things out of our Dad’s room at the Presbyterian Manor before Thanksgiving, and he seemed in good spirits. I really enjoyed him all these years–he had a great personality and quick wit (with silly jokes to match). As we left the Manor that day, we hung our Dad’s Jayhawk on Ray’s door and the nurses laughed and said “He won’t like that!!” But we knew both Dads would laugh at that.