Robert D. Ray

This article is about the American politician. For other people named Robert Ray, see Robert Ray.

Robert D. Ray
Ray in 1977
38th Governor of Iowa
In office
January 16, 1969 – January 14, 1983
Lieutenant GovernorRoger Jepsen
Arthur Neu
Terry Branstad
Preceded byRobert D. Fulton
Succeeded byTerry Branstad
President of Drake University (interim)
In office
1998
Mayor of Des Moines
Acting
In office
May 5, 1997 – November 3, 1997
Preceded byArthur Davis
Succeeded byPreston Daniels
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office
June 8, 1975 – July 4, 1976
Preceded byCal Rampton
Succeeded byCecil Andrus
Personal details
Born
Robert Dolph Ray

(1928-09-26)September 26, 1928
Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
DiedJuly 8, 2018(2018-07-08) (aged 89)
Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Billie Hornberger
​
(m. 1951)​
Children3 daughters
EducationDrake University (BA, LLB)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1946-1948

Robert Dolph Ray (September 26, 1928 – July 8, 2018) was an American lawyer and Republican politician. He served as the 38th governor of Iowa from January 16, 1969 to January 14, 1983.

During his tenure as governor, Ray served as chair of the National Governors Association from 1975 to 1976; led to the passage of the Iowa Burials Protection Act of 1976, which was the first legislative act in the United States that specifically protected American Indian remains;[1] and accepted thousands of refugees into Iowa.[2]

In his later years, Ray served as acting mayor of Des Moines from May 1997 to November 1997 and was interim president of Drake University in 1998.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Still Running was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Human was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Finney, David (July 8, 2018). "Bob Ray, beloved 5-term Iowa governor, dies at 89". Des Moines Register. Retrieved November 9, 2018.