Ray C. Senate

Ray Charles Senate, Topeka, 92 passed away February 18, 2004.
Mr. Senate had been Director of Marketing in thd broadcast division of Stauffer Communications, Inc., Topeka, until his ritirement.
He was born September 9, 1911, in Paola, Kansas, the son of George J. and Francis Hamilton Senate. He graduated from Paola High School and received his bachelor of business in journalism from the University of Kansas in 1934. He also received a business management certificate from the Harvard Business School.
He worked for Capper Publications (now Stauffer Communications, Inc.) from 1934 until 1941 when he was called to active duty in the Army for 2 1/2 years. He served in the South Pacific as an anti-aircraft battalion commander, obtaining the rank of Colonel. After the war, he served an additional year as a civilian governor of Chung-Chong Pucto Province, Korea. He received the Philippine Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the South Pacific campaign ribbon with five stars, the U.S. Army Accommodation Medal and various victory medals.
After the war, Mr. Senate worked for Capper's and Time-Life magazines in Chicago for eight years. While in Chicago and New York, he also pursued his interest as a cartoonist, having his work published in Collier's, the New Yorker, and the Saturday Evening Post under the name "Ping". He returned to Topeka in 1955, to work for Stauffer Publications in the WIBW TV and Radio Broadcast division as national sales manager and became director of
marketing in 1980.
While at the television station, Mr. Senate served as chairman of the Associates of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters, a chairman of
the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA), and as a board member of the Television Advertising Bureau sales advisory committee in New York. He served as past president of the Mulvane Art Center, was a former chairman of the Topeka United Way campaign, and was active in Kansas University and Washburn University alumni affairs, including serving as president of the KU Gold Medal Club. He served as president of the Topeka Country Club and secretary-treasurer of the Club for 20 years. He was one of the founders of the Topeka Civic Theatre and was a founder and past president of the Topeka Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) and helped build Camp
Jayhawk for the Boy Scouts. He was a past president of the Downtown Topeka Lion's Club and was active as a volunteer in community service. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church were he served as a trustee and elder.He was married to Jane Griggs on March 7, 1942, in Topeka. She died
September 3, 2002
He is survived by a niece, Sarah Griggs, Topeka; two nephews, Arthur H. Griggs, Topeka, and Frank W. Griggs, III, South Carolina; and four great nieces and nephews. A brother, Rex L. Senate, preceded him in death.
Cremation is planned. Memorial services will be held 10:00AM Saturday, February 21, 2004 at First Presbyterian Church, 817 SE Harrison, Topeka, KS, 66612.Inurnment will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 817 SW Harrison, Topeka 66612, the Topeka Downtown Lions Club, the Kansas University Gold Medal Club, or to the building fund of the Mulvane Art Center.
Penwell-Gabel Mid-Town is in charage of arrangments. On-line condolences may be made at www.penwellgabel.com.

Bob Hoover

Funeral Director