Ray Ketcham

Family-Placed Death Notice

KETCHAM, Ray Ray W. Ketcham, born December 4, 1922, in Hartford, Alabama, departed this life on March 21, 2009, in Atlanta, Georgia. Ray spent his early years in Tallahassee, Florida, where he attended radio school to serve as a radio specialist in the South Pacific during World War II. Ray studied at Ringling Art School in Sarasota, Florida, in preparation for what was to be not merely one career, but two. That first career began in advertising with Coca Cola. He established himself with Coca Cola as a free-lance designer with memorable ad campaigns for Delta, Fresca, and Coke among others. In the 1950's, Ketcham was the second person ever to be named Art Director of the Year for the Art Directors Club of Atlanta. Ray designed the Coca Cola Home Calendar for many years. He became well known for doing even preliminary presentations with as much attention to detail as finished artwork. In the 1960's, Ray began his second career in the field of fine art when he and his wife, Kitty, opened the Ray Ketcham Gallery in Buckhead. Their gallery is noted for the introduction to Atlanta of fine artwork of 19th and early 20th century Europe and America. Ahead of many in the art world, Ray recognized the value of work by magazine illustrators such as N.C. Wyeth. Yet, Ketcham's penchant for innovation extended far beyond the actual type of artwork he chose to sell. If he wanted to set off a painting in a certain way, he would carve the frame for it himself. And because he frequently found paintings that were in need of cleaning and/or lining, Ray learned and developed techniques for their restoration. With the meticulous attention to detail so characteristic of everything he did, Ketcham's restorations have been lauded by curators. Ray and Kitty enjoyed happy times traveling in search of paintings for the gallery. Together they scoured dusty antique shops, attics, basements and barns, more than once finding valuable paintings. Ray was a family man and a devoted father. The Ketcham's home often included an assortment of German Shepherds. Ray is survived by two children, Victoria Ketcham Guthrie (Richard) of Alpharetta, Georgia, and Peter D. Ketcham (Barbara) of Acworth, Georgia, and two grandsons, David T. Ketcham and Jacob A. Ketcham, as well as his beloved wife of 61 years, Kitty (Catherine Taylor) Ketcham. Although Ray will be sorely missed, his family rejoices in his life so well lived. A service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held at St. Luke's Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody, Georgia on April 18 at 11 o'clock in the morning. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Atlanta Humane Society, 981 Howell Mill Rd. NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30318 or Altus Healthcare & Hospice, 5411 Northland Dr. NE, Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328.