Ray G. Mosteller

Ray G. Mosteller, age 94, died on October 29 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was born on October 5, 1930 in Endicott, NY, the son of Raymond R. and Lois Mosteller.After graduating from Union Endicott High School, he entered the U.S. Navy in 1950. He went through basic training and Electronics School at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, IL, and then the Advanced Undersea Weapons School in Key West, FL He served as an electronics technician on an amphibious flag ship with a two-star general, the USS Eldorado, AGC-11, out of San Diego. During the Korean War in 1953-54 the Eldorado went on tour to Korea and Japan, and later to the Philippines, Hong Kong and Okinawa. Ray received five service medals.Following thewar, heattendedthePurdue TechnicalSchoolin Indianapolis, IN. In 1957 he married Lucy M. Ogborn.He was hired by Sandia National Laboratory and moved to Albuquerque in 1958. Ray began work in the testing of nuclear electronic equipment, then transferred to Field Test for the Arming and Firing Division and worked with explosives and nuclear devices at the Nevada Test Site. He also used his experience to help design microbarograph test equipment. His wife Lucy died in 1976, and he continued to raise his son and daughter. In 1993 Ray retired from Sandia after 35 years.

Ray was always interested in improving his knowledge. He became a life member of The New Mexico Academy of Science, The New Mexico Geological Society, and the National Rifle Association. Ray was an avid pistol shooter, a skill he learned from his father, and he held two lifetime Master ratings in pistol shooting. In 1966 he attended the national shooting matches at Camp Perry, OH, as a member of the New Mexico pistol team. Ray was also a member of New Mexicans for Science and Reasoning, the Albuquerque Geological Society, the Albuquerque Coin Club, and the Upper Rio FM Society as a ham radio operator with call sign WD5ABK. He had also been a member of The Albuquerque Astronomy Society and the Albuquerque Gem and Mineral Club. From 1994 to 2009 Ray volunteered as a docent and tour guide at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, with over 3000 hours of service. It was at the Museum that he met his second wife, Mary W. Voelz, also a docent, and they were married in 2005 among the giant dinosaurs in the Jurassic Hall at the Museum. Ray and Mary enjoyed traveling and had many interesting trips, both within the continental United States and to Alaska, Hawaii, Panama, Costa Rica, and Iceland.

Ray is survived by his wife, Mary, adult children Randall Mosteller and Aleta Hallemeier and her husband John, all of Albuquerque, his younger brother Roy Mosteller of Columbus, IN, and many step-children and step-grandchildren from his second marriage. A Visitation followed by a Funeral Service will take place on Saturday, November 16, 2024,9:00 a.m. at FRENCH-Lomas. Ray will be laid to rest privately at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery.