Beloved Geology Professor Passes Away

Ray Beiersdorfer, also known as “Dr. Ray,” was a distinguished professor of geological and environmental sciences who suffered a major heart attack on Sept. 13. He passed away at 4:55 a.m. on Oct. 11.

Beiersdorfer’s wife, Susie, said his ventilator tube was removed on Oct. 2. His heart continued to beat for nine days.

His death was announced by Susie Beiersdorfer via a Facebook post.

In honor of Ray Beiersdorfer’s 62nd birthday on Friday, those in the YSU community are encouraged to wear a Hawaiian shirt and do five acts of kindness for people or nature as a celebration of his “kind and colorful life.”

The lobby of Moser Hall was packed with the family, friends, colleagues and students of Ray Beiersdorfer standing shoulder to shoulder on Oct. 5 to celebrate his life of success and passion—which showed the how many people he had impacted.

In a Jambar article written by Graig Graziosi in 2015, Ray Beiersdorfer was named “Moser Hall’s own Dumbledore.”

Read next week’s issue of The Jambar for a tribute to Dr. Ray and his impact on the community, YSU and more.