Ray Walter Vanderbilt

Ray was born on November 14, 1932, in East Grand Rapids, Michigan to Charlie and Mildred Vanderbilt.

Ray left Grand Rapids to attend Michigan State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1954. Ray went on to get a Masters of Theater Arts at Penn State (in absence) in 1957. Ray enlisted in the Air Force in 1957 and was stationed in Washington DC, where he met the love of his life, Barbara Ann Upton, on a blind date. Barbara, who had recently moved to Arlington, VA from Mississippi was attending, and working at Georgetown University. They married in 1959 and settled in Arlington. They remained in Arlington until 1994, when they moved to Manassas, VA and remained there until 2019 when they moved to Falls Church, VA to be closer to their family, and their home of Arlington.

Ray began his teaching career with the Arlington County Public School System (ACPS) in 1958 after leaving the Air Force. After a year at Stratford Junior High School, he was transferred to Wakefield High School in 1959, and then to Yorktown High School when it opened in 1960. While Ray taught several different subjects during his tenure, the drama department and the theater productions they put on during his time at Yorktown gave him some of his greatest joys.

In 1973, Ray left the classroom for administrative roles which ultimately led him to starting the Arlington Schools Telecommunications Center (ASTC) at the Career Center. There he worked with students at all levels, as well as members of the community, teaching TV production and programming. Ray retired from ACPS in 1997.

After retiring Ray and Barbara continue their love and support of the theater regularly attending plays and musicals throughout the DMV area. In 2001, they landed their dream job and began working as ushers at The Kennedy Center, remaining there until August 2024.

Beyond the stage, Ray and Barbara shared a love of travel and experiencing new places and cultures and did so extensively during their 65 years together. The memories of those trips being some of the fondest memories of the family’s time together.

Ray is survived by his loving wife Barbara Ann Vanderbilt (Falls Church), his sons Douglas Vanderbilt and Michael Vanderbilt (both of Arlington), Douglas‘s wife, Julie Bedford, and their son Dylan Vanderbilt.