The definition of ‘hero’ varies from “a man, often born of one mortal and one divine parent, who is endowed with great courage and strength celebrated for his bold exploits and favored by the gods” to “a sandwich of heroic size made with a small loaf of crusty bread split lengthwise, containing lettuce, condiments, and a variety of meats and cheeses.” Wray Smith’s heroism falls somewhere in the middle of these definitions: “A person prominent in some event, field, period, or cause by reason of his special achievements or contributions.”
Wray’s professional interests were both technical and educational. He was trained as an engineer and worked for the University of Michigan and Consumer Union in jobs that required a technical education, but also involved educating the public. His early work included technical writing. Later, he decided to return to school and earn a doctoral degree in the Operations Research Department at George Washington University. His scholastic emphasis was in statistics. Wray strongly thought people should continue to learn throughout their lives. Going back to school was a way for him to do this formally. He completed his dissertation and became a Doctor of Science in 1980, but remained a student until his death.
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