Edward ‘Ray’ Ladd

Ladd-80KENDRICK, Idaho – Edward ‘Ray’ Ladd, Ph.D., 70 years old, died in his home in Kendrick, Idaho, on May 2l, 2014, surrounded by his family. His request was to have no formal memorial service.

Ray was born Aug. 8, 1943, in Joliet, Ill., to George M. and Delphia (Sankar) Ladd.

He married Claudia Stariha on May 7, 1966, in Minneapolis.

Ray graduated from Joliet Township High School in 1962. He went on to Joliet Junior College for two years, finishing his undergraduate studies in electrical engineering at the University of Minnesota in 1967. Ray received his master’s of science degree in industrial engineering in 1968 at Colorado State University. He continued at CSU and received a Ph.D. in industrial engineering in 1973, graduating magna cum laude.

He was a true world shaper, teaching at CSU, Montana State University, University of North Dakota, Minot AFB, Central Washington University and Washington State University.

During his last teaching position at WSU in the engineering management program, he taught for 24 years. He taught more than 15,000 managers in various industries.

He is survived by his wife, Claudia; son and daughter-in-law, Justin and Tammie Ladd of Spokane, Wash.; daughter and son-in-law, Laura and Julian Sorrell of Clarkston, Wash.; grandchildren, Wilson and Ian Ladd of Spokane, Jordan, Taylor and Tristan Sorrell of Clarkston; and great-grandchild, Aiden Schriber of Clarkston.

Ray was an avid fisherman. He fished as a child with his father in northern Minnesota and on streams and lakes of Colorado, Montana and Canada. During his last 15 years, he went to Prince of Wales Island, Klawock, Alaska, to ocean fish.

He loved music and played guitar, mandolin and banjo. He was an accomplished wood worker and made some of the family’s greatest treasures of beautiful furniture.

Ray was preceded in death by his mother and father and two sisters, Jean Rowell and Lois Gallion.