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<p>Brigadier General <em>Raymond Thomas “Ray” Roe</em> (USA, Retired), Class of 1967, was born in New York City. As a young boy, his parents would occasionally take the family to West Point for picnics at Trophy Point. At that time, little Ray had no idea he would in time be wearing cadet gray, but it happened.</p>
<p>Ray attended All Hallows Boys Catholic High School in the Bronx, near the old Yankee Stadium, where he was a star track and cross-country runner. He continued his running at Army as a consistent point winner in cross country and indoor and outdoor track, for which he ran the mile and half-mile. The <em>Howitzer</em> noted that, in addition to winning his Army “A,” Ray also was a Catholic Chapel acolyte and contributed four years as a member of the Public Relations Council, serving as president his First Class year.</p>
<p>At West Point, his classmates often kidded Ray about his accent from “da Bwonx!” but it never deterred him. Ray’s roommates did not recall him slaving over the books, but his ability to absorb information quickly and then speak or write it clearly impressed his peers and helped him all his life. For example, when Ray met Bernice on a blind date during plebe Christmas at West Point, he was able to tell her what she wanted to hear. They discovered they both liked to dance, and that stayed true for the next 20-plus years. Three and a half years after that first blind date, they were married at Floral Park, NJ on June 10, 1967.</p>
<p>Each summer Ray would return to his family’s home near Lake Ronkonkoma on Long Island and work as a lifeguard, including the summer after his wedding. He would also continue to run, finishing the Boston Marathon three times. </p>
<p>After graduation and the usual branch and Ranger schools, Ray was selected for artillery command assignments at the platoon, battery, battalion, and brigade levels, serving assignments in CONUS, Alaska, Vietnam, and Europe. He was selected early for promotion three times and was selected for assignment as aide to two senior Army commanders: first in Hawaii and later as aide to the Supreme Allied Commander–Europe. Ray developed in-depth insight into Army policies in those positions and put this to good use in subsequent assignments.</p>
<p>Ray was promoted to brigadier general and assigned as Assistant Division Commander, and later Commanding General, 9th Infantry Division (Motorized), Fort Lewis, WA. His final assignment was as Commanding General, U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center. His responsibilities included the management of enlisted and officer clubs, recreational slot machines, childcare centers, hotels, and recreation areas around the world, which taught him a lot about business. He was most proud of gaining approval from the Army, the Department of Defense, and finally the House Armed Services Committee to lease and then purchase the hotel that became the Shades of Green at Disney World. </p>
<p>Ray and Bernice had three daughters: Mary, born in Alaska; Karen, born in New York, USMA Class of 1992, who retired in 2020 as a colonel in the Signal Corps; and Susan, born in Hawaii.</p>
<p>Ray retired from the Army on September 1, 1993 after 26 years of active duty. His awards include the Legion of Merit with four oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Parachute Badge, and Ranger Tab.</p>
<p>Ray then joined Lee Hecht Harrison, an outplacement company that was later acquired by Adecco, the largest recruiting and staffing company in the world. Over the next 16 years Ray continued to move up in multiple corporate postings, first in the Asia-Pacific region based in Melbourne, Australia, then North America, and then a global role as CEO of Adecco Asia-Pacific, where he was responsible for overseeing business throughout Asia, Australia, New Zealand and India.</p>
<p>While Ray’s Pacific career continued, he and Bernice separated in 2002 and later divorced. </p>
<p>In 2004 Ray married Kaz Goode in Brisbane, Australia. Ray completed corporate postings in New Jersey and New York, and they then returned to Australia in 2007. </p>
<p>Ray retired from Adecco in 2009 and became an Australian citizen. He continued to do some consulting, coaching, mentoring, and (with Kaz) occasional recruiting for senior roles for companies he previously knew. Living on a small horse farm on the Gold Coast near Brisbane, Ray and Kaz bred, raised and trained Hanoverian Dressage horses. Kaz rode international level dressage, while Ray helped maintain the farm and horses. He loved the property in the hinterland, and they spent many hours together enjoying the horses, wining, dining, travelling and life together. </p>
<p>Ray had a sudden stroke and died shortly thereafter, on August 20, 2019, at the Gold Coast University Hospital, Queensland, Australia. Per his wishes, his ashes were scattered on the family property.</p>
<p>Ray is survived by his second wife, Kaz, and her son, Camden; by his first spouse, Bernice, and their three children: Mary Heinsohn-Roe, Colonel Karen Roe (USA Retired), and Susan Roe; by one brother, Kenneth, and two sisters, Jane and Marjorie. </p>
<p>Be Thou at Peace.</p>
<p><em>— Bill Pittenger ’67 </em></p>
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