Ray Stratford 

102d Infantry Division, 405 Regiment, C Company
February 26, 1925 - December 29, 2017

ISLAND PARK, ID – Ray Paul Stratford, 92, passed away at home surrounded by family on December 29, 2017, following a courageous battle with cancer. Ray was born in Pocatello, Idaho on February 26, 1925, the second child of Rae Percy and Olive Jenson Stratford. He was preceded in death by his parents, older sister Lora Stratford Williamson and younger brother Lowell J Stratford, and two grandchildren.

Ray grew up in Pocatello, spent summers on the Buffalo River in Island Park, earned his Eagle Scout award, and graduated from Pocatello High School in 1943. Ray briefly attended Idaho State College, before joining fellow members of “The Greatest Generation” to serve in World War II in the U.S. Army. He saw action in the European Theater, serving with the 102nd Infantry Division, 405th Regiment, C Company as they participated in the Allied offensive moving from the Netherlands to the Rhine in Germany, earning the Combat Infantry Badge and Bronze Star.

Ray attended Stanford University where he earned a degree in Electrical Engineering. He received a professional engineers license from New York State and went to work for General Electric in Schenectady. Ray became a fellow of IEEE authoring over 40 technical papers and a college textbook. In 1994, he received the IEEE outstanding achievement award. He was known around the world for his contributions to Harmonics in Electrical Power Systems. Following his retirement from GE in 1985, Ray worked for Power Technologies Inc. and taught at both Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York and The University of Texas at Austin. Ray was a recipient of the Strathmore’s Who’s Who in 2000. Ray has been a part of Rotary since 1955.

While at Stanford, Ray met and married his first wife, Claire Dennery on September 9, 1949. He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering in 1950. Ray and Claire had three children, Bruce (Nancy Hadfield), Trumbull, CT; Jim (Donna Christian), Melbourne, FL; and Suzanne (Chuck Parkinson), Rapid City, SD; raising them in Scotia, New York. After 20 years of marriage, Ray and Claire chose to take their lives in different, but very positive directions.

In 1973, Ray met Nancy Long, the woman who would become his life-long companion. He embraced her three children as his own: Deborah Arieda McFadden (Jack), Wilton, CT; David Arieda (Elizabeth McCormick), Fort Edward, NY; and Heather Stratford-Geibel (Bill), Spokane, WA. They were married in Schenectady, New York on April 24, 1974 and had their union sealed on August 7, 1975 in the Idaho Falls Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Finally retiring to Island Park Idaho in 1990, he and Nancy built a log cabin on the Buffalo River next to the cabin he enjoyed as a child. He became active in the community and was on the Idaho GEM committee, the Island Park Historical Society board and Chairman of the Island Park Planning and Zoning Board. In 2000, he received the Island Park Man of the Year Award. Ray and Nancy, active in the LDS Church, served a mission in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission and also worked in the South Africa Temple from 1996-1998.

Ray loved building projects and built cabins both in Island Park and in New York on Lake George. He passed that knowledge and love of building along to his children. He valued family, learning and service. The world is a better place because of Ray and the people he touched. He will be missed and remembered by many.

Ray is survived by his wife, Nancy, children: Bruce, Jim, Suzanne, Deborah, David, and Heather. He is also survived by 22 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews living around the world.

Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 4, 2018, the Island Park Ward, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at 4120 N. Big Springs Loop Road, Island Park, Idaho. The family will receive friends Thursday from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment will be in the Mt. View Cemetery in Pocatello under the direction of Baxter Funeral Home.