In Memoriam

The Writers Place wishes to express their sympathy for the loss of one of Kansas City’s great literary figures, David Ray, whose wife Judy was the first Executive Director for the Writers Place.

In the 1960s, David Ray co-founded, with Robert Bly, American Writers Against the Vietnam War, organizing and encouraging “read-ins” at protest gatherings, and in the years since he wrote extensively in response to wars and environmental issues as well as topics of family, grief, and art. His 27 books, mostly poetry but including a memoir, The Endless Search, have chronicled his time in far-flung places such as India, New Zealand and Australia, where he was, as always, writing and teaching. His last book is At Midnight (2023). David was Professor Emeritus from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and former editor of New Letters.