Hoen, Ray (1954)
Ray Hoen was born in Wisconsin, but grew up and attended high school in the small town of Oswego, Illinois, a place he called a "farming community." Hoen's father was a car insurance salesman. The Second World War was at its peak during his adolescence, and Hoen felt that it was important to join the navy. At the age of 17, he dropped out of high school and enlisted. Hoen was discharged when he turned 21 in 1950. Early that year, at a "Fireman Ball" in Lake Oswego, Oregon, Hoen met a fellow Navy veteran who recommended Lewis & Clark College. The next day, Hoen embarked on a visit to the college, and "fell in love with the place." He promptly applied for admission and enrolled, joining the class of 1954, but the Korean War also broke out in 1950. Hoen was recalled back into the navy for two years of service after his freshman year. He remembers taking extra classes during the summers to catch up with his original class, and he almost caught up completely; he graduated just six months after the rest of the class of '54. Hoen took business courses, and he spent much of his spare time in employment to pay for his schooling. In the interview, Hoen frequently referenced his membership in a fraternity as a meaningful part of his life at Lewis & Clark. He lived with his parents in nearby West Linn during his freshman year. After his second discharge from the navy, Hoen rented a "cabin" very close to campus with one of his fraternity brothers. After graduating from Lewis & Clark, Hoen married and took on a career in sales. He owned a car dealership in Newberg, Oregon, for a period.
Oral history interview of Lewis & Clark alumnus Ray Hoen, conducted by Jarrett Gibson on March 17, 2014. History Department, Spring Semester, 2014.
Lewis & Clark College
Oral History Item Type Metadata
Jarrett Gibson
Ray Hoen
Templeton College Center
Lewis & Clark College: Oral History Project
http://digitalcollections.lclark.edu/files/original/9e08e4576daf71fa9db77b4bb8e725cc.pdf | http://digitalcollections.lclark.edu/files/original/ed30ea131fa53d272886a5a0f59a2ac7.mp3