RAYMOND HANNAPEL Jr.

1932 - 2022

HANNAPEL Dr. RAYMOND J. HANNAPEL, JR. Dr. Raymond Joseph Hannapel, Jr., aged 89, died peacefully at home on January 9, 2022, surrounded by family. Ray was born on May 20, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the University of Arizona on a full football scholarship, where he received his undergraduate and master's degrees and where he met and married Ann Sult in 1955. Ray and Ann traveled to Berkeley, California where Ray received his PhD in Biochemistry from UC-Berkeley. In 1966 Ray and Ann moved to Washington, D.C. with their six children, where Ray began a long career in federal service at the National Science Foundation. There, he became expert in managing grant programs for K-12 math and science education curriculum. His projects included the innovative but controversial "Man: A Course of Study," a humanities and social science teaching program. He was especially proud of his work with Dr. Frank Oppenheimer (a former Manhattan Project experimental physicist) to provide support and funding for the Exploratorium, a San Francisco hands-on science and engineering museum. Described as "a mad scientist's penny arcade, an art studio and an experimental laboratory all rolled into one where visitors can touch, play and tinker with hands-on science," the Exploratorium received the U.S. National Science Board's 2011 Public Service Award for 40 years of work in influencing and encouraging the work of the next generation of scientists and engineers. After retiring from NSF in 1994, Ray traveled extensively, volunteered weekly with McKenna's Wagon at Martha's Table to distribute meals to homeless people, and lectored at his church, the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Ray was beloved by his fifteen grandchildren, who knew him as Poppy. He shared with them his love of raspberries, classical music (aka "Poppy Music"), astronomy, and plants. He had a beautiful tenor voice and sang "Silent Night" in German at Christmas midnight masses and family gatherings. Ray was preceded in death by his brother, Peter Hannapel, his granddaughter, Keris Hannapel, and his great-granddaughter, Iris Ayers. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Ann Hannapel; his brother Matt Hannapel; his six children and their spouses: Kate Hannapel and Andrew Anway; Dr. Margaret Irvin and Adam Levy; Tim Hannapel and former wife Teresa Smith; Ted and Sara Hannapel; Dr. Andrew and Heidi Hannapel; and Monica and David LaVorgna; and his fourteen grandchildren, their spouses and great-grandchildren: Melissa and Laura Irvin-Sahm and their daughter, Maisey; Margaret and Dr. Nathan Ogden; Micaela Irvin; Emily-Kate Hannapel; Nick Anway and Lydia Casmier Derfler; Deryn Hannapel; Nora and Jordan Ayers and their daughter Edith; Brenna Hannapel and Daniel Benitez; Will Anway; Claire Hannapel; Henry Hannapel; Eli Anway; Cecilia LaVorgna; and Lucia LaVorgna. The Hannapel Family extends their deep gratitude to the staff of Chevy Chase House, where Ann and Ray have resided since 2019, for their dedicated caretaking, and to Cathy Fitch, their loving health aide for the last three years. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Contributions may be made in Ray's memory to Martha's Table at marthastable.org/give.