WATERVILLE – Wendell Augustus Ray, 93, died in a local hospital Thursday, July 1, 2004, after a brief illness. He was born Oct. 7, 1910, in Auburn, son of William and Winnie Fred (White) Ray. He will be remembered for his special skills in woodworking; all things mechanical; metallurgy; photography, darkroom development and printing; camera maintenance and repair; and bicycle repair. Recreational activities included motorcycling, day trips exploring and revisiting areas throughout the state of Maine, model trains, boating and other summer activities at Peaks Island and Winter Harbor. Wendell was educated in Auburn public schools, graduating from Auburn High School in 1928, and Bates College, summa cum laude, in 1932. He received a Ph.D. degree in chemistry in 1936 from the Harvard Graduate School. At that time he became private research assistant to Prof. Grinnell Jones. For his doctoral thesis he developed a new precise modification of the capillary rise method of measuring surface tension which proved significant in the theory of solutions and surface phenomena. He was a member of honorary societies of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi, and was past chairman of the Maine Section of the American Chemistry Society. Wendell came to Colby College in 1938 as instructor of chemistry, was for several years research subcontractor and consultant to Dupont Chemical Co and Arthur D. Little Co., and research fellow at Harvard during the summers of pre-World War II years. He was also instructor of mathematics for Air Force cadets when the USAAF came to Colby for training in the 1940s. During the war years he was on leave from Colby to experiment and develop special stratagems at A. D. Little labs for the Office of Strategic Services and Central Intelligence Agency. He retired from Colby as professor emeritus of chemistry after 38 years of teaching at both the old College Avenue and the Mayflower Hill campuses. In 1956 he married Charlene Blance, Colby ’46, and continued his teaching at Colby as well as continuing research, assisted by his wife, at a privately contracted lab at Colby and a private lab in their home. He was pre-deceased by his parents and a sister, Theda Ray Jones. He is survived by his wife; a sister-in-law; and several nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 6, at Greenwood Cemetery, Winter Harbor. Arrangements are under the direction of Redington Funeral Home in Waterville.
WENDELL A. RAY
