Ray was blessed with a rare combination of qualities - a brilliant intellect and immense practical skills, combined with absolute humility and humanity. High intelligence often brings with it a certain aura which can make lesser mortals feel uneasy in its presence; however there are some individuals whose exceptional intelligence never causes this problem; it simply shines out of them, clear to see but unsettling nobody. Ray was such a person, able to put anyone at their ease, capable of communicating with anyone at any level. On top of all this, he could find humour in almost any situation. So, this then was the measure of the man; unique, a one-off, a rare jewel who brightened the lives of all who knew him.