William "Bill" Philip Bray

Bill Bray was born in Algona, Iowa, a middle child in a family of eight rambunctious Irish-Catholic siblings. His father, Dr. Daniel Langon Bray, was a general physician and surgeon, and his mother, Mary Phyllis Bray, was the glue that held the busy household together.

Growing up in rural Iowa, Bill played an active role in tackling daily chores and took particular pride in rearing and selling horses. Summers spent at Lake of the Woods, Minnesota, were some of his fondest early memories.

Even as a teenager, Bill had a sharp eye for a story. He began photographing for the local paper, sometimes beating police and ambulances to the scene of a crash. A camera remained around his neck for the rest of his life.

Bill attended Iowa State University, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Iowa State Daily—a role he referenced with joy ever after. He earned a B.A. in Journalism, Speech, and Computer Science, was inducted into the Cardinal Key Honorary Society, and gained early broadcasting experience as a weekend anchor for WOI and as a campus correspondent for Cedar Rapids’ WMT in TV and radio. Fraternity life at the Lambda Chi house provided its own kind of education.

After graduating from Iowa State, Bill moved to Washington, D.C., to pursue an M.A. (ABD) in International Communications and Middle Eastern Studies at American University. While there, he worked as a writer and editor for The Reporter newsletter and American Magazine. After graduating, he wrote for various publications, including American Banker, as well as for NAFSA, the largest association of international educators worldwide. He would spend the next 45 years in Washington.

Though his career began in media, Bill’s true professional identity took shape in the business world. His instincts as an investigative journalist, paired with an unmatched drive to win, fueled a successful 40-year career in enterprise technology sales.

Bill spent several years living and working in Saudi Arabia, selling computer systems in a rapidly modernizing market. Over the decades, he worked with an expansive range of tech companies—including NCR, AT&T, VeriSign, Verizon, Platinum Technologies, and IBM—selling complex software, infrastructure systems, and cybersecurity solutions to Fortune 500 companies and federal agencies. Bill was still talking business strategy long after retirement.

Bill met Sarah Elizabeth Hardesty at the tail-end of his 30s, following a previous marriage. Their story was characteristically Bill: an avid fisherman, he offered to grill Sarah fresh salmon he’d just caught while visiting family in Alaska. Sarah turned him down, saying she didn’t have a grill. So, he went out and immediately purchased a grill and brought it (and the salmon) to her house that night. They married a little more than a year later.

He and Sarah shared a passion for travel: honeymooning in Greece, scuba diving in the Caribbean, cruising the Adriatic, and seeking out beauty wherever they could find it. Together, they had one daughter, Elizabeth (“Eliza”) Hardesty Bray, and built a loving, adventurous life.

Bill never stopped documenting the world around him—whether through carefully crafted photo books, doodles on rogue napkins, or combing through generations of family genealogy. He had a lifelong passion for preserving memory in all its forms.

Bill also loved life’s simple pleasures: a cold Corona, a good action movie, a new gadget, a day at the beach, a well-maintained car, and, of course, chocolate! He acted as the family chauffeur to his two city girls, who didn’t like to drive. He was also the family cook, whipping up meals from seemingly random ingredients with ease.

In retirement, Bill and Sarah moved to Durham, North Carolina, drawn by a slower pace of life.

Bill faced a 15-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease with dignity, stubbornness, and his trademark dry wit. Even in the illness’s later stages, he remained a fighter, still delivering one-liners with a twinkle in his eye. Bill passed away suddenly, one week after celebrating his 73rd birthday with cake and hugs.

His family is deeply grateful to the many caregivers and supporters who helped care for him in his final years. Thank you for treating him like your own family and bringing comfort during difficult days.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Elizabeth Bray Kenney of Anchorage, Alaska, and his brother Michael Dudley Bray of Iowa City, Iowa.

He is survived by his wife, Sarah Hardesty Bray of Durham, North Carolina; his daughter, Eliza Bray, and her long-time partner, Ryan Leddy of Denver, Colorado; and his siblings: Daniel Bray Jr. of Iowa City, Iowa; Patricia Bray of Anchorage, Alaska; Mary Bray of Winter Park, Florida; Robert Bray of West Des Moines, Iowa; and Richard Bray of Scottsdale, Arizona.

Bill is also lovingly remembered by his nieces and nephews: Daniel Bray III, Nick Bray, Anastasia Kenney, Dr. Christina Kenney Magill, Catherine Wilson, Caleb Bray, and Robert Bray; and by a circle of extended family, friends, and colleagues.

Bill’s memorial service will take place at Hall-Wynne Funeral Home Chapel, 1113 W. Main Street, Durham, NC, September 10, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. EST. The service will also be live streamed for all who wish to join remotely. That evening, at 6:00 p.m. EST, we will host a second virtual gathering over Zoom for friends and family who are unable to attend in person and would like to share memories, stories, or reflections about Bill. Please contact the family for the link to the Zoom gathering.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies, where Bill’s daughter Eliza is an active volunteer. Under the checkout section, please indicate that the gift is in memory of Bill Bray.