Ray Arlyn Brodersen

Ray A Brodersen was born March 28, 1932 to Amil and Leatha (Steinhaur) Brodersen in Fresno, California. He was their only child. Ray attended Fresno High School where he participated in track and field and from which he graduated in 1949. At Fresno State, he joined Sigma Nu Fraternity, met his future wife, and graduated with a BA in Geology, with honors, in 1953. That same year he married Dorothy (Dori) Reinold, his partner for 69 years.
Ray worked for United Geophysical Company which moved the Brodersens to Watsonville, CA, and later Santa Maria, CA. In February 1954, he was drafted into the United States Army. While Permanent Party at the Presidio in San Francisco, he also spent time at Point Barrow, AK with an engineering battalion. He served until 1956.
Brodersen taught one year at the University of Montana, Missoula before completing his Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley in 1962.
The Brodersens moved to Oregon in 1962 and Ray began a 35-year career teaching Geology and Earth Sciences at OCE/WOSC/Western Oregon University. Ray received three awards for superior teaching, one the first year he taught and two towards the end of his career. He belonged to many civic and professional organizations during his 60 years in Monmouth. These include the Oregon State Board of Geology (5 years), Monmouth City Council (2 terms), West Valley Hospital Board (10 years), and Rotary International (decades) He and Dori were also members of the Fine Arts Program at WOU and members of the Monmouth Christian Church.
Ray retired from WOU in 1997. He received the Distinguished Service Award, the University's highest honor, in 2002.
He and his family enjoyed camping, backpacking, mountain climbing and river rafting. He had a dry sense of humor, never spoke ill of anyone and was slow to anger.
Ray is survived by his wife, Dori Brodersen, his son, Eric Brodersen, daughter Karen Allen and son-in-law, Kevin Allen, and sisters-in-law Patty Reinold and Christy Reinold.
The family suggests memorial contributions be sent to the Ray and Dorothy Brodersen Scholarship Fund at Western Oregon University Foundation, 345 N. Monmouth Av, Monmouth OR 97361 or to the Monmouth Independence Foundation, PO Box 84, Monmouth OR 97361.
Celebration of Life is planned for 2 p.m. Saturday, January 7, 2023, 2 p.m. at the Monmouth Christian Church, 959 Church St W, Monmouth, OR 97361. Farnstrom Mortuary is caring for the family.