David Ray

David Ray was first and foremost a man of his word. He wrote them, stood by them, and freely left them for us to do as we will. He was not one to look at the world through rose-colored glasses, but with a gimlet eye.

Discerning, clarion, incisive, tender or shrill, depending on the moment. He was a consummate poet who animated many across decades by his writing and then by putting those verses into action.

David Ray was born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma on May 20th, 1932, the son of Dowell Ray and Katherine (Jennings) Ray. His sister, Mary Ellen, was born a year later. David is survived by his beloved spouse, and partner in poetry, Judy Ray, his daughter Winifred, step-daughters Wesley and Sapphina, and grandchildren Nancy, James, and David. His son Samuel died in an accident in 1984.

David graduated from Tucson High School, then earned a B.A. and an M.A. from the University of Chicago. He pursued a career as an editor, lecturer, and professor of English and Creative Writing at a litany of institutions including Cornell University, Reed College, the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the University of Missouri where he became Professor Emeritus. He also received fellowships to spend time at the Rockefeller Center in Bellagio, Italy, and the Camargo Foundation in Cassis, France.

He co-founded American Writers Against the Vietnam War with fellow poet Robert Bly in the 1960s. In the decades that followed he wrote extensively on the injustices du jour: wars, environmental degradation, the death penalty, gun control and more. He encouraged Friends to support the Occupy Movement and used the mediums of poetry, “letters to editors” and “opinion” articles as vehicles for social change. His pen was tireless during those years in the pursuit of justice.

In his mid fifties, while living and teaching in Kansas City, David encountered Quakerism. A wordsmith meets Silence, seemingly an unlikely liaison. He was captivated, perhaps caught off guard, by the power of Silence. He came to recognize that the Silence between lines was as important as what was written. Perhaps a lens into his about-face lies in the title of his memoir: “The Endless Search.”

David Ray was a consummate seeker. Ever attuned to the ‘still small voice” even amidst the clamorous dissonance of 20-21st century life. Quakerism also piqued his activist senses when he saw American Friends Service Committee signs and banners protesting the U.S. War in Iraq.

After attending for a decade, he became a member of Penn Valley Meeting in Kansas City, MO in 1990. Then upon moving to Tucson, AZ with his spouse, Judy Ray, he transferred membership to Pima Monthly Meeting in May 2006 and began helping lead Quakerism 101 classes as well as serving on the Ministry and Oversight and Membership and Marriage Committees.

At one point David was invited by members of Pima Monthly Meeting to give a talk about poetry. A one time session. However, his enthusiasm was so contagious that weekly poetry sessions became the norm. Perhaps one of the keys to its popularity was his philosophy: “No subject is too small for poetry.” David Ray’s mantra might well be described as “everyone has something unique and important to offer.”

David possessed a keen sense of the human condition. Our strengths. Our weaknesses. And by turns he continually encouraged us to “Let your awkwardness work for you.” David Ray’s life and poetry both brightened and challenged our world, making it a little wiser, a little more humane place. His uncompromising lines and crisp insights will hold us in good stead as they echo long after his last breath. David Ray ¡PRESENTE!

Approved at Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business 14th Day, Ninth Month, 2025