Mentor and World Traveler
William Ronald Frazier Jr. 鈥�63
March 30, 2025.
Ron was born in 1941 in Portland, Oregon, to Lacey Smith Allen and William Ronald Frazier ’25 . He earned his bachelor of arts in philosophy at Reed, writing his thesis on literary genres under Professor Edwin Garlan [philosophy 1946–73].
At the Sorbonne University in Paris, Ron studied French and literature, then went into the Peace Corps and spent two years in Niger. He met his wife in France and later returned to the United States, teaching French at Estacada High School.
Ron’s pastimes included playing bridge, hiking with a group called the Day Trippers, and fly fishing with his brother, Preston Frazier. He is survived by a son.
Appeared in Reed magazine: Fall 2025
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The Lives they Led
Physicist, Professor, and Researcher
Never a Follower, Always Charted His Own Path
Builder, Uniter, Mentor
Mother, Baker, Musician
Director of Private Music Instruction at Reed [1988–2010]
Professor of English at Reed [English 1973–78]
Cherished Friend, Daughter, Sister, Cousin, and Niece
French Teacher and Docent
Well-Traveled Economist
Visionary Drummer, Advocate for Tribal Fisheries, and Recognized Authority on Bigfoot
Physician, Neurologist, Teacher, and Advocate
Composer, Arts Administrator, Archivist, and Historian
Award-Winning Musician, Played With Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, and Woody Shaw
Nurturer of Communities
Educator and Journalist
Professor at Dartmouth College and the University of Toronto
Pioneering Cardiologist, Inventor, and Entrepreneur
Beloved English and Piano Teacher
Transcending the Script
Maven of Orchestration
Documenting Justice and Injustice Alike
Acclaimed Blues Guitar and Piano Player
Committed Musician and Teacher
Loved Working at the Bilingual Crossroads in Technology and Publishing
Leading Economist and Respected Expert on Finance
Pioneer in the Field of Alternative Somatic Therapies
Senior News Producer at Reuters
Advocate For Collaboration, Team Building, and Personal Connection
Immigration Law Attorney
Public Health Lecturer
Big Brain, Big Heart, a Lifetime of Learning
Devoted Her Life to Education and Music
Never a Follower, Always Charted His Own Path
Avid Hiker and Chemist
Accountant and Aquatic Traveler
Discoverer of Radiopolarography and Nobel Prize Winner
Poet of the Page and the Skies
Actress and Humanist
Pioneer of Law Technology
Playwright and Provocateur
Scholar of Chinese Culture and Language
Insightful Critic and Dedicated Poet
Venerated Long-Distance Runner
Master of the Ancient Art of Japanese Carpentry
Longtime Programmer and Adventurous Explorer
Activist and Mystery Enthusiast
Advocate for Trauma Survivors
Acclaimed Anthropologist
Pioneering Physicist
Beloved Husband, Devoted Father, Treasured Grandfather, and Venerated Professor
Broadcaster and Outdoorsman
