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Ray Radoslav Suput (1922–2018)
Ray Radoslav Suput died in April of 2018 after a long and eventful 
life. Ray was born in 1922 in Columbus, Ohio, but was raised by his 
maternal aunt in the Plitvice Lake region in the former Yugoslavia, 
now Croatia. As an expert in Serbo-Croatian and Italian languages, 
Ray served as an interpreter for the Allied Control Commission work-
ing with refugees in Italy during World War II. Before retiring in 1987, 
Ray served in multiple roles at Ball State University in Muncie, Indi-
ana, including director of libraries, department chair, and profes-
sor. He was proud of his involvement in the design and building of 
Bracken Library, to which he walked or rode his bike each day. Ray 
retired to Columbus, Ohio, where he was active in his church and 
the Columbus African Violet Flower Society and continued to ride 
his bike for many years.

We give thanks for the life and work of Ray Suput.

Ed Hunter (1931–2018)
Ed was a lifelong student who loved words, language, and books. 
With degrees from Indiana University, the University of Chicago 
Divinity School, and Simmons College, he succeeded in forging a 
career that combined his passions for religion, education, and books 
as a theological librarian for five years at Bexley Hall Seminary and 
for 28 years at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, and as a 
professor of Greek, Hebrew, and religious interpretation of novels. 

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66  A NNUA L Y E A RBOOK

Over the years, he had passion for many things, including art, music, 
opera, nature, plants, birds, and books. He was a role model for 
following one’s interests, rather than conforming to others’ expec-
tations—always preferring to read a book, needlepoint, or listen to 
opera, with little care for sports or popular trends. He was an early 
feminist, advocating for increased opportunities for women and 
supporting his wife Melva’s political career. He was active through-
out his life in social justice work—a devotion that has inspired his 
friends, children, and grandchildren to do the same.

We give thanks for the life and work of Ed Hunter.

R. David Koch (1928–2017)
R. David Koch worked as a theological librarian for the Austen K. 
deBlois Library of Eastern Baptist Seminary, now Palmer Theologi-
cal Seminary, and was an interim pastor at United Church of Christ 
Churches. He was a humble and gentle man and never spoke of his 
own accomplishments.  In his retirement, David researched the 
meaning of the symbols in his church’s stained-glass windows. He 
then gave a presentation to the church family that everyone enjoyed 
and found inspiring. David had been an only child and married late 
in life.According to their pastor, their wedding is remembered as one 
of the greatest events in their small church’s history. His wife was 
an elementary school teacher at the time, and she invited her entire 
classroom of children to attend their special day. Everyone who was 
present on that day recalls that they never saw a happier couple.

We give thanks for the life and work of David Koch.



Memorials  67

Alice M. Kendrick (1933–2019)
For 13 years, beginning in 1967, Alice was the assistant director of 
the Records and Information Center for the Lutheran Council in the 
United States. In 1980, she was appointed as its director—a position 
that she held for seven years. During that time, she was also the 
director of the Oral History Collection of the Archives of Coopera-
tive Lutheranism. An avid supporter of oral histories, Alice founded 
the Lutheran Church in America Oral History Project.  In 1982, Alice 
was an invited speaker on oral history for the Theological College 
at Toronto Conference. It is no surprise that, when she retired, Alice 
became the oral historian for the United States Golf Association.

We give thanks for the life and work of Alice Kendrick.