Ray Marik

And Strode Blindly into Oblivion Ray Marik

The author's Mother and Father separated and then divorced when he was young leading to a tumultuous childhood. He dropped out of high school, and enlisted in Army. There he earned paratroop wings, and became a member of an elite Army Rangers Special Ops unit. Honorably discharged, he took to the sea and sailed as a deckhand to the Pribilof Islands in Alaska and later was employed as marine operating engineer as part of the great Bering Sea fishing fleet. He also served as chief engineer on the Gryphon, a private yacht sailing out of Seattle. Returning to school, he earned BA, MEd, and ATA degrees. He taught technical writing to engineering students on the college level, and was department head for high school special education students in the Seattle School District. In 1974 he received a Fulbright Exchange appointment to teach in England and took his family there. His first marriage ended in divorce. Remarried for thirty years, his second wife died in his arms. He wrote five autobiographical volumes, and published many articles. He is a twenty-five-year volunteer, including time as a singer, stage performer, director and playwright. Travelling extensively, he circumnavigated the globe, survived two open heart surgeries, stroke, and cancer. Remarried at age 83, he and his wife Mary live at Park Shore apartments in Seattle, Washington.