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Ray Anderson Obituary
Family-Placed Death Notice
ANDERSON, Ray Ray Christie Anderson, of Atlanta, died Monday, August 8, 2011 at his home, surrounded by his loved ones. The founder and chairman of the modular carpet company, Interface, Inc., Ray was a devoted husband and father who was recognized worldwide as a visionary entrepreneur and a champion for the environment. Ray was 77. An honors graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology's school of industrial and systems engineering in 1956, Ray learned the carpet trade through 14-plus years in various positions at Deering-Milliken and Callaway Mills, and in 1973, set about founding a company to produce the first free-lay carpet tiles in America. Interface would go on to become the largest manufacturer of modular carpet in the world, but it was his legendary epiphany, at the age of 60, about business and its impact on the environment for which Ray will most be remembered. He received hundreds of honors, including an Honorary Doctorate from his beloved alma mater Georgia Tech, which he received just this past Friday. He served on many boards and committees, including chairing the President's Council on Sustainable Development under President Clinton. Ray is survived by his wife, Pat, and by his family: daughter, Mary Anne Lanier and her husband Jaime of Marietta; daughter, Harriet Langford and her husband Phil of LaGrange; and stepson, Brian Rainey and his wife Flor of Atlanta. Grandchildren include: Jay and Whitney Lanier of Asheville, NC; John Lanier and Patrick Lanier of Marietta; Melissa and Kalin Heflin, McCall Langford and great-granddaughter, Bailey Heflin all of LaGrange; and by his brother, Dr. William Anderson of Conneaut, Ohio. The funeral will be held at eleven o'clock in the morning on Thursday, the eleventh day of August at Northside United Methodist Church, 2799 Northside Drive, Atlanta, with Rev. Gil Watson presiding. Interment will follow at Shadowlawn Cemetery in LaGrange, GA at one thirty in the afternoon on Thursday. The family will receive friends at H.M. Patterson & Son, Spring Hill in Atlanta on Wednesday, the tenth day of August from five o'clock until seven o'clock in the evening. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Worldwatch Institute, 1776 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 (www.worldwatch.org), the Georgia Conservancy, 817 West Peachtree Street, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30308 (www.georgiaconservancy.org) or the charity of your choice. Online condolences may be made at hmpattersonspringhill .com.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Ray Anderson
Benjamin Kingstone-Faria
December 7, 2011
My sincerest condolences to you and your family. I have never met Ray, but have found myself utterly disarmed by the power of his words and the life that he lived. Ray was, and is, an inspiration to myself and like-minded individuals who seek a healthier future for ourselves and our children. I am honored to be of a species which is capable of such compassion and good will, and I offer you my most sincere condolences and well wishes.
Joyce Saunders-Halperin
October 6, 2011
My sincere condolences to the entire Anderson family as well as the Interface family. I first met Ray in 1970 while researching carpet for a new 1M SF building in Boston. I also was involved with designing the first color line for Interface Carpet Tiles. Since those early days, it has been an amazing journey and inspiration to witness all that Ray accomplished. His legacy will live on through all those he touched.
Dear Ray, your time to be called came much too soon my friend. May you rest in peace.
Dr. Albin Turbak
August 18, 2011
I had the distinct honor and pleasure of working with, and working for Mr Ray Anderson as a consultant on one of his many projects. He had a higher set of values than most CEO's and this set him on a pedestal far above the norm. Just as his company policies were structured to preserve the environment, so also were they structured to help employees develop their own potential for more
education and contribution. Ray, Thank you for the friendship you gave to all of us. You will be sorely missed.
Dr. Albin Turbak
August 18, 2011
I had the distinct honor and pleasure of working with, and working for Mr Ray Anderson as a consultant on one of his many projects. He had a higher set of values than most CEO's and this set him on a pedestal far above the norm. Just as his company policies were structured to preserve the environment, so also were they structured to help employees develop their own potential for more education and contribution. Ray, Thank you for the friendship you gave to all of us. You will be sorely missed.
Dr. Albin F. Turbak
Janice Kuntz
August 17, 2011
My heartfelt sympathy to the family. Ray was an outstanding individual. I had the honor of working with him and learned a great deal from him; his drive, ambition and determination to lead his company and improve our environment. He will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on.
Julie Pithers
August 16, 2011
I only heard Mr. Anderson speak once and it was a warm, unforgettable, galvanizing experience. His passing is a loss to the entire planet but a blessing that he was ever here at all.
Ann Henson
August 16, 2011
Such a life well lived! I never knew him, but am so impressed by his love of our environment. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. His legacy will live on and be a beacon of light for generations.
Carmela Peters
August 14, 2011
My thoughts are with your personal family and your Interface family. Your life inspired me from the first time I heard your story in 1999. Thank you for your tremendous devotion to doing what is right.
Steve Olson
August 13, 2011
My thoughts and prayers are with you. Ray inspired so many with his love of us and our natural environment. His walk led the way and does still. We will speak his name and praise his deeds down the generations to come, which he loved, too, without ever meeting.
Robert Baxter
August 11, 2011
A life well invested on behalf of his family, his business and, in the case of the environment,for all of us.
Christina Weber, Sustainable Industries
August 11, 2011
My thoughts & prayers are with your family. I feel so honored to have met Ray. He is a timeless inspiration to countless working to better our planet. "If we can do it, anyone can; and if anyone can, it follows logically that everyone can... So let's get to it." Thank you, Ray!
Judith Bock
August 11, 2011
I never met Ray but from the first time I heard him interviewed and learned of the outstanding work he was doing to protect the environment and to lead others to do the same, I have felt encouraged and grateful. We are all in his debt. My sympathy to his family. You must be very proud of his legacy.
Jonathan Fish
August 11, 2011
I feel very lucky to have met Ray at the Bioneers conference about 5 years ago. He inspired everyone with the story of Interface's and his personal transformation, and was such a warm person to get to spend some time with. Many people, including me, have changed as a result of Ray. My prayers and thoughts are with Ray's family and everyone at Interface. Best, Jonathan
August 11, 2011
My prayers are with Ray's family at this difficult time. As a retired employee of Interface, I was always proud of working for a company with a leader like Ray who walked the talk in his Environmental beliefs.
With prayerful sympathy, Doug Triestram
August 11, 2011
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Carol Carmichael
August 10, 2011
I always loved Ray's response to those who felt the environmental challenges were overwhelming. He quoted the hymn, "Brighten the Corner Where You Are." He certainly did. My condolences to his family.
Carol Cockcroft
August 10, 2011
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the Anderson Family during this time. - Legacy Atlanta, Inc. (Carol, Audra, Rick, Patrick, Mark & Smith)
Nancy Thompson
August 10, 2011
Dear Mary Anne, Jaime, and family:
My condolences on the passing of Ray. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
With my deepest sympathy,
August 10, 2011
Ray was an inspiration to so many professionals, a credit to the design industry and a joy to know. He will be missed.
Stephanie Kirkpatrick
Belinda Hart
August 10, 2011
My heart goes out to you at this time and in the days ahead. Ray will be missed by all the lives that he touched. May God comfort and be with You and your Family through this time of grief.
Joey Milford
August 10, 2011
Leviticus 25:23-24 - 'The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.'
Ray was a great man....honored to have worked for him and to have received his vision.
Barbara
August 10, 2011
My condolences to all in the Anderson family. May the God of all comfort be with you during your time og grief (2 Cor. 1:3-5).
R R
August 10, 2011
May God be your stronghold during these hard times. Nahum1:7.
Kathy
August 10, 2011
Mary Ann,
What a life your father had! It was full and loved. Oh how I know you will miss him. Revelation 21:4 holds out a promise for all of us. Death will be no more.
Until then, Mr. Anderson will be missed.
Pat O'Connor
August 9, 2011
To the Anderson family, I am sorry for your loss of this extraordinary human being. I had the pleasure of being on a few of Ray's Interface/BASF designer think tanks back in the 90s when the AHA moment was happening about how he could implement real change in his industry. I considered Ray a "leit-motif " in all that I do and all that I encourage others to do as well. What an amazing man and catalyst for change in this world. May his message of the "right thing to do" for our children live on through all our personal and professional lives. I pray that you will find comfort in the many stories and sentiments you will here for quite some time to come. Blessings and comfort to you all during this transition.
Pat O'Connor
Diane Allen
August 9, 2011
To Mary Anne , Harriet ,and Mrs Anderson it is my pleasure to have known Ray for 22 yrs.. i have spoken to him many times over the phone and always he would say " Hey it is RAY" which i always knew his voice. His kind spirit and smile i will always remember. He was a great leader and i as well ALL the Interface family will miss him. RIP our friend..
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