I am deeply sorry to hear this news. I remember Ray as being the key person who helped me get my very first ever publication in economics over two decades ago. Also, Ray was extremely kind to me personally, and his good humor, his intense intelligence, and his astute guidance were major factors in helping me to get through a rather difficult Ph.D. program. I loved the pioneering research he did in the field.
Joe Walker
I was shocked to learn about Professor Battalio's demise. Professor Battalio was not only an outstanding scholar but also a fine human. I will certainly miss him.
We will pray for his departed soul.
A. M. M. Jamal
I'm so sorry to hear that Ray passed away yesterday. It makes me rethink about those days of my stay there more than 20 years ago. At that time, I remember, Ray was very healthy to ride a bike in the Texan winter air. How sad in grief, my colleagues and alumni at department of economics, TAMU!
Please let me know if there is a way or another to help him and his family in the near future. Sooner is better.
Sung Tae Kim
It is our great sorrow and I am offering my sincere condolences to you and the family of professor Battalio.
He was a great teacher, friend as well as insightful scholar in many ways. It is a great loss of the economic society
in the U.S. and the world.
Jang-Hee Yoo
A sad day for all of us who know Ray and the TAMU community. Seid Y. Hassan
My first class at TAMU was European Economic History, an undergraduate course taught by Ray. A few years later I enrolled in a special topics applied micro class, team-taught by Ray, Kagel, and Basmann, in which I was typically dazed and confused. Perhaps only Doug Glasgow was more confused than I was. In those two classes, in the coffee room, corridors, and elsewhere along the way Ray taught me to love empirical analysis. That was quite a gift.
W. Mark Crain
With shock and sadness I have received news about your health. My reaction is such because my memories are frozen in time. The passage of time has not diluted my fond and vivid recollection of my experiences with you as I participated in your program in experimental economics. I found those days to be exciting, energetic, and uniquely productive (the "Rat Lab" in particular!!). Members of your family (Rob, Eric) were very much part of the activities and times. I miss you all.
Sondip Mathur
When academic community has become another field for contesting fame and status, example established by Professor Battalio as a sincere and pure- hearted explorerer of knowledge is inspiring. In him, i see the genuine beauty of a scholar. May the Lord reward His own rare species in Heaven.
Ueng Shyh-Fang
I am saddened by the news of Ray's passing. When I think of my experiences at A&M during the early 1980s I fondly recall Ray as a teacher with an uncannily intuitive approach to economics. Ray's child-like curiosity regarding economic issues was particularly apparent during lunch time. Ray would always hold court in the department lunch room (sack lunch and all) with assorted faculty and grad students. His wry smile would always appear as someone put forth a suspect argument regarding some odd sort of economic behavior. Ray would, however, usually provide a simple (rational) explanation that would get us all nodding our heads. I will miss his wry smile.
Greg Delemeester
I was so shocked when I got the news about Ray's illness and death. I still remember the summer class of 1982 (intermediate microeconomics). He
was an excellent teacher. That induced me to take experimental economics as one of my fields when I entered Ph.D program and ended up with a thesis
in that field. While being in College Station, I worked for him in the lab on the weekends and saw him coming to the department to work. I have learnt he
had a lot of articles in top journals. He was one of prominent experimental economists. Please send my condolences. Komain Jiranyakul
I am so sad to hear about Ray's passing. I enjoyed reading all of the eulogies from former students and colleagues. This is a big loss for the department and the profession.
Melanie Marks
Thanks very much for your kind efforts to bring all of us the sad news about Professor Battalio. It is a great comfort to know that he is so well remembered, honored and loved by colleagues, students, former students, friends and family.
Mike Duke, '78
Please give Nancy my most heartfelt sympathy on losing Ray. His passing deeply saddens so many of us who benefited from his keen intellect and caring
attitude. I'll never forget the many, many lunch room "seminars" he and John Kagel held with anyone who would join in for lunch. I learned so much about how to
think from Ray. When I was Jimmy Walker's roommate during grad school, Nancy and Ray would often invite us over to their home on Sunday evenings for dinner and beer. As it turned out, these Sunday dinners were hardly a break from study since Ray never tired of discussing economics! Ray was such a wonderful inspiration for young grad students. I will miss him so much.
Chris Thomas
I am so sorry to hear of Dr. Battalio's death and send my sincere condolences to the family of professor Battalio. I still remember him coming out of building on a sunnyday with coffee mug and talking with people in big smile. He was a great professor and a good friend to A&M students. I have always respected his great personality and his relentless academic integrity. I'll miss him so much...With my best wishes and sincere prayer.
Jun-Byoung Oh
It is so nice of you to give all of us this opportunity to remember Ray. There are only a few times in one's life when you cross paths with someone who really makes a fundamental difference in how you see yourself and the expectations you have for yourself. Ray was this person for me. He has been my greatest mentor and, I like to think, one of my closest friends. From my first weeks at A&M, he and Nancy brought me into their home and made me feel like I belonged. He will be remembered by all of us as someone who cared and treated us as equals. His loss has certainly left a very large empty place in my life. Best, Jimmy.
Jim Walker
My most sincere condolences in Ray's passing. Ray was an inspiration to all A&M students that had the privilege of knowing him. His general knowledge, economic insight and, specially, his willingness to share it all with students was appreciated by us all. In my case, I probably learned more from the conversations and discussions during the lunch hours in the small coffee room of the department than in many formal lectures. My prayers are with you all.
Pablo Gottret
It is with great sadness that I heard about the demise of Dr. Ray Battalio. As a graduate student in the department, I had never taken any of Dr. Battalio's classes, but I held him in highest regard for his contributions to the field of economics. My last memory is of him sitting in the lunch room chatting and discussing economics with faculty and graduate students. It is indeed a very great loss to the economics department and to the economics profession. My deepest condolences to Dr. Battalio's family and I pray that his soul rest in peace.
Sharada Vadali
The demise of Dr.Battalio reminds me him with cheer and vigor stepping into the Harrington Tower grabbing motocycle helmet while I was there. I am so sorry to hear his passing and give my deepest condolences to his family. He was a great scholar as well as a good friend to Aggies. I pray for his soul rest in peace and his family get well.
Seungkon Oh
Ray was one of the most important teachers I ever had. When I came to TAMU to pursue PhD studies in economics -- almost two decades ago (Boy, does time run fast!) --, I thought that this experimental stuff was all pretty silly. Working as a rat-lab technician initially and later as his RA and TA, it didn't take long for Ray to convince me otherwise. I had a chance to observe close up Ray's uncanny ability to ask interesting questions and give convincing explanations for (often puzzling) human behavior. It was a first-rate education. I'm most grateful that I had a chance to know, and learn from, this outstanding scholar and wonderful human being.
Andreas Ortmann
While thinking of some one, a 20th centry scholar, Dr. Hu Shih wrote:
"Mountain wind crumbles the cast of pine tree on the papered window; yet, it cannot scatter the person imprinted on my heart."
Perhaps, Mrs. and Professor Battalio have been missing each other in such intensity. Let Ms. Nancy Battalio's peaceful passaway commence their happy reunion in Heaven.
Shyhfang Ueng
During the years that I was at TAMU (1979-1983) I never had the pleasure of taking a class from Dr. Battalio. The scheduling did not work out. However, I enjoyed talking to him in the lunchroom and in the hallways. There were many times he helped me with SAS programming problems out of the goodness of his heart. He was under no obligation to help me. He actually taught me quite a few nifty tricks! He was a wonderful person, kind and caring. One of my sons is now majoring in mechanical engineering at TAMU (and loves TAMU 100%). So after visiting his dorm last year I dropped by the department to see some of my former professors. But it was considerably after 5:00 p.m. so many people had left (I don't intend to disparage any current faculty for not working late!) But I found Dr. Battalio still working late, just as in my grad school days. And he still remembered me (a person who never took a class from him) after 20 years!!! He was quite remarkable. I know that his family will miss him and his wife. I hope that these remarks and the remarks of other former Aggies will provide some joy for them. He was a great man!
Michael Nieswiadomy
