Remembering Paul Ray

Paul D. Ray, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry, age 79, died July 15, 2014, after a brief battle with cancer.

Paul Ray was born December 7, 1934, in Monmouth, Ill, to Elmer and Dorothy Ray. He grew up on the family farm south of Monmouth, and graduated from Monmouth High School in 1952 and Monmouth College in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry. He married Annette Thrift in Chicago on June 15, 1957. He  earned his doctorate in Biochemistry at St. Louis University in 1962 under the direction of Nobel Prize winner Edward Doisy. He completed postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Henry Lardy and held an assistant professorship at the Enzyme Institute at the University of Wisconsin in Madison from 1962-1967.

In 1967, Paul and Annette moved to Grand Forks, ND, where Paul began his 47-year career at the University of North Dakota in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Paul directed and advised a number of graduate students to their M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. He was widely published for his research focusing on liver enzymes as they relate to diabetes and the influence of hormones on carbohydrate metabolism. To support his research, he received funding from The American Heart Association, The National Institutes of Health, The American Diabetes Association, and the National Science Association. He was extremely proud of his involvement in INMED (American Indians in Medicine Program), and enjoyed his involvement as a recruiter of student athletes interested in the basic sciences. Paul received a multitude of honors, including the Sigma Xi Award for Individual Excellence in Research in 1984 and a Chester Fritz Distinguished Professorship in 1992. Following his retirement in 1997, he was named Professor Emeritus. He continued to teach until March of 2014 by facilitating small groups of medical students as they studied medical cases in a problem solving approach.

Paul followed all his grandchildrens’ activities, and was an avid sports fan. He was a die-hard supporter of the Chicago Cubs, Blackhawks and Bears, as well as UND. He was a charter member of the Fighting Sioux Club (now the Champions Club) and he was a longtime season ticket holder of basketball, hockey and football. Paul loved animals. He had welcomed his fourth Golden Retriever into his life in December and she brought him great joy. His 22- year old cat was always a welcome addition to Paul’s lap. Paul spent a great deal of time at his lake home near Perham, Minn., where he enjoyed relaxing, fishing, bird watching and visiting with dear friends.

In later years, Paul and Annette looked forward to nearly annual trips to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in the fall where they enjoyed the fall foliage, visiting and photographing many lighthouses.

Music was a passion for Paul and he was especially fond of Frank Sinatra and Lori Line. He sang solos as a young child and continued singing in Zion United Methodist Church Choir since 1967. He was also a longtime supporter of local youth performing arts programs.

Paul is survived by Annette, his wife of 57 years; four children, Debra (Larry) Larsen of Watford City; Kenneth (Linda) Ray of East Grand Forks; Michael (Sarah) Ray of Appleton, Wisc.; and Linda (Michael) Greene of Flower Mound, Texas. He leaves 11 grandchildren, Carissa (Ross) Pape, Michelle (Jayme) Carson, Jason (Elizabeth) Ray, Jenna (Sheldon) Wahlstrom, Danica Ray, (fiancé of Matt Konze), Christopher Larsen, Hannah Ray, Madison Greene, Sean Larsen, Logan Greene, and Andrew Ray. He also leaves three great-granddaughters:,Reagan and Ramsey Pape and Zoe Carson and two sisters, Betty Rodgers and Joan Haase. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy and Elmer Ray, his oldest sister Marilyn Algren, and his three brothers-in-law, Eugene Rodgers, Marvin Haase, and Glenn Algren.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Paul Ray Memorial Fund, Alerus Financial, P.O. Box 6001, Grand Forks, ND 58206