Ray Key

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Very sad to hear of Ray's passing. Wood turning will survive without him but it is more likely to survive because of him.Without him the AWGB would not exist. Proud to have called him my friend.

[Lionel Pringle]

So very, very sorry to hear of Ray's passing.  He was one of the true greats of the International woodturning fraternity.  Without him it is pretty certain that there would never have been an AWGB, and woodturners in this country would probably still be working in isolation and the craft would not have developed in the myriad ways in which it has since that first seminar way back in 1987.  It was my great pleasure to work alongside Ray on the AWGB committee over many years and I always found him to be helpful and supportive.  My abiding memory will always be the banter and repartee that abounded whenever he and Bert Marsh were in the same room.  I look back with fondness to AWGB committee meetings at Rays house where Liz always concocted a slap up meal for large hungry committee members, my thoughts are with her and Darren at this very difficult time.

[Les Symonds]

There are many of us, such as myself, who neither ever met Ray, nor had any direct contact with him. However, there can be very few (if any) of us who have not come across his work and realised its significance to woodturning in recent decades. He clearly was a prime mover in the development of our craft.
Les

[otterbank]

Sad news indeed. His books, and then videos ,were a great influence and education first I started turning. Finally managed to obtain one of his pieces a couple of years ago, a lovely wee salad bowl. Has pride of place in the house.
Michael

[John Plater]

Very sad news indeed. I met Ray on a few occasions through the AWGB, demoing at Axminster and at Carpenters' Hall. What a nice person. he had time to talk and was obviously very experienced and knowledgeable. I have heard from others about the tremendous amount of time and effort he gave to woodturning in general as well as developing his own career. I am pleased to own one of his trademark cocobolo pieces, which sits alongside a couple of Bert's, fittingly. I did a demo yesterday and used the Ray Key shear scraper a number of times, as is my wont, only to read the sad news of his passing on my return last night.
RIP Ray, ATB John

[Greg Aero]

The saddest news. Ray was always ready to help and advise and was a mine of information on turners and turning world wide. I'll miss him genuinely, as will very many others in the woodturning world and beyond.

My sincere condolences to his family.
Greg Miller.

[Mark Hancock]

Such sad news. He put so much effort into making the craft what it is today. Many memories of working with Ray and they were always wonderful experiences. I'll miss him. A great man. RIP Ray 

[John D Smith]

 I to met Ray on a number of occasions he was a Gentleman without repeating what previous posters have said he certainly helped bring
woodturning out of the dark ages I am sure we will be ever thank full to him R.I.P. Ray Condolences to his wife and all the family.

                                         John

[julcle]

I had the pleasure of meeting Ray for the first time when he and other members of the AWGB and WCT presented me with the Certificate in Turning a few years ago. He was full of encouragement and advice and even signed a book of his that I had. Here are a few pictures of Ray at Crow Valley when he came to visit. A very sad loss indeed.

[Derek]

Even though I did not know Ray personally he will be missed by his family as well as the woodturning community. He did a lot for woodturning here in the UK as well as in other countries around the world a true ambassador to woodturning

[John Plater]

And not just woodturning. Ray gave up a lot of time and effort to the Worcestershire Guild (of Designer Craftsmen) of which he was president for many years. As one of their members said, the end of an era.
ATB John

[Wood spinner]

Top man , one in a million , Very sad loss 

[Bryan Milham]

I was only lucky enough to meet him once, but he left a lasting impression on me.

A sad day for woodturners everywhere.

[johnanthony]

I was lucky enough to meet him twice, many years ago, each time succumbing to the temptation to buy one of his exquisite small boxes. My daughter has since ‘inherited’ them because, like me, she just fell in love with their sheer beauty.

A really nice man who worked magic with wood.

John