Robert A. Young

R. A. "Ray" Young of Sandy Springs, Professor Emeritus at Georgia Tech, passed away on June 13, 2012. Born Robert Alan Young, near International Falls, Minnesota and a WWII Veteran, Ray attended the Georgia Institute of Technology BS, MS and Polytechnic Institute of New York University PhD Physics. He returned to Georgia Tech to research and teach, retiring after 40 years of service. He was widely recognized nationally and internationally for research in crystallography, having published hundreds of papers, served as Director and Editor for various professional and scientific organizations, and awarded an honorary doctorate from the Institute National Polytechnique de Toulouse. Reflecting a love of travel and the French culture, he was the founding Chairman and 1st President of Atlanta-Toulouse Sister Cities, a Chairman and member of Alliance Francais and a member of the Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation. To sum up his life in his own words: "I was born humble but managed to live a good life. I was lucky to earn a living doing what I loved, Physics. Meanwhile, I met many wonderful, loving people. My cup is full." Ray is survived by his wife Teresa, sister Patricia Smith, three children; Kevin Young, Daryl Young, and Cheri Page, 3 step children; Terence Chan, Ellen Chan and Marian Zerkus, and 7 grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 28, 2012 at 2:00 at the Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 1025 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Cure Alzheimer's Fund, www.curealzfund.org. Arrangements by Wages & Sons, Stone Mountain Chapel 770/469-9811.