Dixy Lee Ray

Dixy Lee Ray (September 3, 1914 – January 2, 1994) was an American scientist and politician. She was the 17th Governor of the U.S. state of Washington. She was the state's first female governor and was in office during the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. She was defeated in the Democratic primary in 1980 by Jim McDermott, who in turn lost the gubernatorial election to John Spellman.

Dixy Lee Ray
17th Governor of Washington
In office January 12, 1977 – January 14, 1981
Lieutenant	John Cherberg
Preceded by	Daniel Evans
Succeeded by	John Spellman
Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
In office January 19, 1975 – June 20, 1975
President	Gerald Ford
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Frederick Irving
Chair of the Atomic Energy Commission
In office February 6, 1973 – January 18, 1975
President	Richard Nixon Gerald Ford
Preceded by	James Schlesinger
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Personal details
Born	Marguerite Ray (1914-09-03)September 3, 1914 Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Died	January 2, 1994(1994-01-02) (aged 79) Fox Island, Washington, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	Mills College (BS, MS) Stanford University (PhD)

Ray was born Marguerite Ray in Tacoma, Washington, to Frances Adams Ray and Alvis Marion Ray, the second in a family of five girls. She joined the Girl Scouts and, at the age of 12, became the youngest girl, up to that time, to summit Mount Rainier.

In 1930, at age 16, she legally changed her name to "Dixy Lee". She chose "Lee" because of a family connection to Robert E. Lee.

In 1973, Ray was appointed chairman of the United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) by President Richard Nixon. Under her leadership, research and development were separated from safety programs. She was appointed Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs by President Gerald Ford in 1975, but resigned six months later, complaining about lack of input into department decision making.

Dixy Lee Ray died on January 2, 1994, at her home in Fox Island, Washington from pneumonia, aged 79. After her death, it was reported that employees of the Pierce County medical examiner's office had kept autopsy photos of Ray as souvenirs.

Dixy Lee Ray Media

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  At the age of 12, Ray became the youngest girl to summit Mount Rainier.

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  Dixy Lee Ray presents the Pacific Science Center's "Arches of Science" award to Nobel Laureate Glenn Seaborg in 1968. At the time Seaborg was Chair of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, a position Ray would hold several years later.

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  Ray and her dogs Ghillie and Jacques inspect the Hanford nuclear reservation. With them is Thomas Nemzek, at the time Director of Reactor R&D.

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  Ray speaking with Robert Sachs, director of the Argonne National Laboratory, circa 1974

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  Governor Ray at Washington State Employees Credit Union open house in 1977

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  Dixy Lee Ray signing a bill into law in the rotunda of the Legislative Building in Olympia

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  While Washington's chief executive, Ray split her time between the Governor's Mansion (pictured) and a trailer on rural Fox Island.

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  A bridge carrying State Route 504 lies in ruins after being carried by a lahar generated by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

Other websites

• Register of the Dixy Lee Ray Papers, 1937–1982
• Ray Appearances on C-SPAN