Bill Ray (politician)

Ray served in the United States Navy during World War II. He was stationed in Adak, Alaska, and Honolulu. He was discharged as a chief radioman. After leaving the navy, Ray returned to Juneau and worked as a bartender at the PaMaRay Club, a bar established by his parents along the busy "bar block" on Juneau's South Franklin Street. Ray also worked as a card dealer, a longshoreman, and in commercial fishing. He later went into business for himself in Juneau, owning and operating a bar, a liquor store, and a charter boat business. He was appointed to serve as a member of the Alaska Alcoholic Beverage Control Board by Governor William A. Egan and later served as chairman of the board.^[1]

Ray was elected as a Democrat to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1964 and then the Alaska Senate in 1970.

Ray is the namesake of the Bill Ray Center, a government building that housed legislative offices and the Alaska House and Senate Finance Committees during the 2016 extended legislative session.^[2]

In 2001, Ray moved to Sequim, Washington where he lived in retirement. In 2002, Ray wrote his memoir: Liquor, Legislation & Laughter: the story of a S.O.B. (Sweet Old Bill). He also wrote: The Hacker's Bible, about golf. Ray died of a heart attack in Seattle, Washington.^[3][4]