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Show Business Profile By Gwen Barney Whatever Ray Free does, he does in a big way. When he was in the Army for five years during: t - - 1 . " v . t W I LAvyi .; World War II he saw action all through the Pacific while he participated par-ticipated in four major campaigns. The bronze star was twtrded him as was the purple heart. By the end of the war Ray Free he held the rank of Luitenant Colonel in command of his battilion. At the present time he is director of .artilleijy for the officer's school at Fort Douglas with the Army Reserve. In 1956 the Sugar House Junior Chamber of Commerce selected Mr. Free as outstanding leader of the year and honored him with a plaque for exceptional service to his community. He served on the board of directors of the Salt Lake County Community Com-munity Chest for two years. He was county chairman of Governor Clyde's campaign and chairman of Legislative District 18 in Salt Lake County for the (9 9Sud uo p3mnjuo3) PROFILE (Contnued from pagt 1) Republican Party. Last year he acted as chairman of the governor's committee to investigate invest-igate and recommend changes fcr the estate prison after riots centered public attention on that institution. This latter work was interesting and satisfying, he says, because at the suggestion of the committee vital improvements improve-ments were made. Mr. Free was president of the Utah State Frozen Food Locker Association in 1951 and 1952. He is a charter member of the Sugar House Lion's Club, and is presently a member of the Sugar House Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce of which he served twice as president and for seven years on the board of directors. Ray and his wife, Louise, have six children. He calls Jarold 21, David 20, and Charles 18 his pre-war family, and Richard II, Stephen 9, and Madeline 8 his post war family. Ray has been as active in his church as he has in civic and military undertakings. He started start-ed long ago to serve .in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by presiding over priesthood quorums as well as ward and stake M. I. A. organizations, teaching and holding positions of leadership ' in Granite, Big Cottonwood and Millcreek stakes. For the past missionary tours on Temple Square; he maintains that the hour that he spends there is tie most delightful time of his day. With all of these activities one naturally wonders how Mr. Free has any time to attend to his own business as manager of Hygeia Ice Co. He has worked for the company since he was a boy through the time that he received his B. A. degree from the University of Utah. But here is evidence of the dynamic vigor of Ray Free. According to leading trade magazines mag-azines Hygeia Ice Co. had the most cold storage lockers of any plant in the world. At the peak of the locker business in 1947, '48 and '49 they maintained over 5,000 lockers. There still are more than 4,000 as well as complete processing facilities for meat. Each year the company processes between 1500 and 2000 head of venison for local hunters. Mr. Free's father, J. Roy Free first started out in the ice business by delivering block ice with a team and wagon. He even cut ice himself from ice ponds in the area. In 1912 he established the Hygeia Ice plant and is still active in the corporation. corpora-tion. Cold storage facilities were built in 1925 and individual lockers in 1935. In 1950 the Carbo Chemical Co. was set up with Mr. Free as the managing partner. Here is manufactured the various forms of carbon dioxide including dry ice and the fizz for soda water. Also part of the company i3 the skating rink, Hygeia Iceland, where you can see a variety of skills and spills all winter long. In the summer the cement floor of the rink is used for roller skating. Because of his extended interest and energy Ray Free has been instrumental in accomplishing ac-complishing many civic benefits. Always mindful of community he is a recognized leader. |