Robert D. Ray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert D. Ray
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Ray in 1977
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| Mayor of Des Moines | |
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Acting
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| In office May 5, 1997 – November 3, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Arthur Davis |
| Succeeded by | Preston Daniels |
| Chair of the National Governors Association | |
| In office June 8, 1975 – July 4, 1976 |
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| Preceded by | Cal Rampton |
| Succeeded by | Cecil Andrus |
| 38th Governor of Iowa | |
| In office January 16, 1969 – January 14, 1983 |
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| Lieutenant Governor | Roger Jepsen Arthur Neu Terry Branstad |
| Preceded by | Robert D. Fulton |
| Succeeded by | Terry Branstad |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Dolph Ray
September 26, 1928 Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | July 8, 2018 (aged 89) Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Billie Hornberger
(m. 1951) |
| Children | 3 daughters |
| Education | Drake University (BA, LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
Robert Dolph Ray (September 26, 1928 – July 8, 2018) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Republican Party. Ray served as the 38th governor of Iowa. He held this important job from 1969 to 1983.
During his time as governor, Ray did many notable things. He led the National Governors Association for a year. He also helped pass a law to protect Native American burial sites. This was the first law of its kind in the United States. Governor Ray also welcomed thousands of refugees to Iowa.
Later in his life, Ray was the acting mayor of Des Moines for a few months in 1997. He also served as the temporary president of Drake University in 1998.
Contents
Early Life and School
Robert Ray was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1928. He went to Theodore Roosevelt High School and finished in 1946. After high school, Ray joined the United States Army.
He then went to Drake University. He earned a degree in business in 1952. Two years later, in 1954, he earned a law degree from the same university.
Robert Ray's Career
Ray started his career as a lawyer. He worked as a trial lawyer for several years. In 1963, he became the leader of the Republican Party in Iowa.
Governor of Iowa
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In 1969, Robert Ray became the governor of Iowa. While he was governor, the Iowa Constitution was changed. This change made the governor's term longer, from two years to four years.
Ray was the leader of the National Governors Association from 1975 to 1976. He also led other important groups. These included the Republican Governors Association and the Midwestern Governors Association. As governor, Ray made rules to support civil rights. He also worked on saving energy and reducing paperwork. He created groups like the Iowa Council for Children. In 1974, he signed a law to create the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women. In 1976, Ray and his family moved into Terrace Hill. This is the official home for Iowa's governors.
In 1979, Ray went to a United Nations meeting in Switzerland. This meeting was about refugees. Ray was a strong supporter of a "nickel deposit" on aluminum cans. This meant people would get money back when they returned empty cans.
One of Ray's most famous actions was helping refugees from Southeast Asia. He started his own program to bring these refugees to Iowa. In 1979, he announced that Iowa would welcome 1,500 more refugees. Ray wrote letters to President Jimmy Carter and other governors. He asked them to help more "boat people" (refugees who traveled by sea). At the time, many people in Iowa were worried about this. They feared job competition and money being taken from Iowans.
Ray also passed the first laws in the U.S. to protect Native American graves. In the early 1970s, Maria Pearson noticed that Native American remains were not treated with respect. She protested to Governor Ray. She even sat outside his office in traditional clothes to get his attention. Ray worked with Pearson. Their efforts led to the Iowa Burials Protection Act of 1976. This was the first law in the U.S. to specifically protect Native American remains. This law helped lead to a similar federal law later on.
Later Career
After leaving the governor's office in 1983, Ray became the CEO of an insurance company. From May to November 1997, he was the temporary mayor of Des Moines.
In 1998, Ray was the temporary president of Drake University. In 1997, he helped start a group there called the Institute for Character Development.
Awards
In 2005, Robert Ray received the Iowa Award. This is the highest honor a civilian can get in Iowa. He was the only governor or former governor to receive this award.
Personal Life
In 1951, Robert Ray married Billie Lee Hornberger. She was his high school sweetheart. They had three daughters. In his later years, Ray had Parkinson's disease.
Robert Ray passed away on July 8, 2018. He was 89 years old. He died at a nursing home in Des Moines, Iowa.
See also
In Spanish: Robert D. Ray para niños
