Ray Reece was a teacher, journalist, activist and author.
Ray Reece was a major force in many environmental issues that faced Austin, Texas in the 1970’s through the 1990’s, including City of Austin energy policies, the development of parkland along the shores of Town Lake (now known as Lady Bird Lake) and the relocation of the Austin airport to the former Bergstrom Air Force Base.
Ray Reece passed away in January of 2018 at the age of 76. Ray Reece believed in the necessity of sustainable development, the power of the written word to change the world, and a vision of society forged in the promises of revolution that was the nineteen sixties. Ray Reece left behind a financial gift to create the Ray Reece Foundation in order to encourage and reward the values he held close to his heart all his adult life.
In 2019 and 2020, the Ray Reece Foundation honored the work of student journalists at the Society for Environmental Journalists Annual Conference by underwriting student awards as well as travel costs in 2019 to the conference in Fort Collins, Colorado for five winners. Other recipients of funds from the Ray Reece Foundation have included Earth Day ATX; Charity Water UK; the Austin Museum of Popular Culture; SAFE Alliance; Central Texas Food Bank; Austin Wildlife Rescue; the Bess Whitehead Scott Scholarship Fund; The Texas Tribune; Austin Wildlife Rescue; Austin Community Foundation; Shoal Creek Conservancy; Texas Land Conservancy; The Trail Foundation; Austin Youth River Watch; Texas River School; and Missouri River Relief.