HAMPSTEAD — Raymond John Reith of Hampstead, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2025.
Ray, as he was known to his family and friends, was born on March 14, 1945, in Bronx, New York, to the late Raymond John Reith Sr. and Catherine Schunke Reith. Ray was an undergraduate of The University of Notre Dame. Ray then received his PhD in Nuclear Engineering from NC State University.
Ray had a very successful and fulfilling 30-year career as an Executive Nuclear Power Engineer that took him all around the world supporting nuclear power plant development. Ray spent 20 years in Lynchburg, VA, where he attained the title of Vice President for Babcock and Wilcox, and then finally General Electric in Wilmington, NC, after employment stops in Washington DC and Idaho.
Ray’s passion was always fishing. Ray enjoyed many fond memories of fishing the mountain streams near Lynchburg, VA, the Outer Banks of NC, and on Henry’s Lake in Idaho, near West Yellowstone, where he had a lake home for several years.
Ray is survived by his daughter, Katherine Lynn Reith Atkins and husband Tom Atkins of Cary, NC, grandsons John Allen Atkins (Wilmington, NC), Luke Atkins and wife Reagan (Cary, NC), and Joshua Atkins (Cary, NC), as well as a newborn great-granddaughter Savannah (daughter of Luke and Reagan). Ray is also survived by his sister, Patricia (Patty) Collins and husband Tom Collins of West Palm Beach Florida, and Deborah (Debbie) Collins and husband Mike Collins of Long Island, NY.
