Ray A. Adee

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.