Raymond A. Adee died Dec. 24,
2015, in Newton.
He was born Feb. 22, 1923, 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), NY; sister, Martha Edgar, Cape Cod; brother, Ellis (Donna),
Wells; sister, Phyliss Cline, Minneapolis; brother, Grover, 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 and Maurice of California.
Memorial service will
be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6, at First Presbyterian Church,
Newton, with The Reverend Deborah Hollifield presiding. Private
family inurnment will be in the Greenwood Cemetery, Newton. Memorials
are suggested to First Presbyterian Church Permanent Endowment Fund
c/o Petersen Funeral Home.
