Raymond Michael Nugent

Raymond Michael Nugent passed away on March 11, 2017, in Campbell, CA. He was 58. He was driving home after working out at his club, when he was involved in a car accident. Ray was born on May 4, 1958 in Oakland, CA to David and Kathryn Nugent. He attended Corpus Christi Elementary School, Saint Mary's High School (where he started playing football), and graduated from Skyline High School in 1976. He attended Laney College in Oakland and played football for their team. He graduated with a degree in computer engineering from California State University, Chico. He married Jenny Nugent (née Shehi) on September 11, 1988 in Saratoga, CA. They met at CSUC. In 1993, they bought a house in Campbell, CA. Later, they remodeled and transformed the small, mid-century house into a beautiful, showcase filled with architectural details handpicked by Ray and Jenny. They have lived there since. While Ray was in working on his engineering degree at Chico, he interviewed with Rolm in the Silicon Valley. He landed the job and put his degree on hold. Several years later, he graduated from CSUC and found further success as a computer engineer in the Valley working for IBM, Siemens, Ungermann-Bass, and Cisco. Ray, always an entrepreneur at heart, started a cloud computing business called SmartScale in 2006 — an early entry into the cloud computer field. He held a number of patents and continued, throughout his career, to be an innovative force in his field. Ray's family and friends remember him as the ultimate Raiders fan who was part of a group that won the inaugural Raider Nation Tailgate Challenge in 2015. He loved being part of Woody's Tailgate Feast group and was a major force behind it's success. Ray had a lasting, significant impact on those who knew and loved him. He had a strong personality and was passionate about many things. He was intellectually curious and loved writing. His nickname was Hemingray because, some say, his words captured the imagination in the spirit of Heminway. Ray's rebellious side drew him to Hunter S. Thompson's and his brand of gonzo journalism. The Gonzo symbol will forever be his Facebook image. Ray was tough on the outside, soft on the inside. He was a devoted, loyal, longtime friend to many. He cared deeply about his friends and family. He often planned special birthday and holiday celebrations for his wife Jenny. Recently, he surprised his good friend Fabian with a special cake as a retirement gift. Last month, he reconnected with his sister Terri, who was dying from cancer, just so he could tell her he loved her—and so he could support his family in saying good-bye. Ray's interests included guitar collecting (he bought G.E. Smith's guitar), music (he was the drummer in a band in high school), sports (especially football), drone piloting, vegetable gardening, barbecuing with friends, and traveling off-the-beaten-track in Asia and Europe. He once drank snake blood in Vietnam. He was also a true gourmet, having been raised by a French chef father. Mostly though, he loved spending time with Jenny and friends. He cherished his relationships. Ray is survived by his mother, Kathy Nugent of Walnut Creek; his father, David Nugent of San Francisco; his brother-in-law Chris Shehi and family of Phoenix, Arizona; his wife, Jenny Nugent (née Shehi) of Campbell; siblings, Renee Kollias and her husband Vacilis and their children Perry and Sophia of Palo Alto, and Greg Nugent and his children Miranda and Andrea of Menlo Park; his sister's family Michael Fuhrmann and his children Dahnee, David and Karly, as well as many cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends. A memorial service and reception is scheduled for Friday, March 31 at noon at the Orchard City Banquet Hall, 1 W. Campbell Ave, Campbell, CA. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Ray's life. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Ray's memorial fund at https://www.youcaring.com/raynugent-778509