A Generous Friend and a Master Craftsman

Ray Cofer was a whiz steam fitter.

He would stand in front of a building, size up its angle and pitch, and with a few taps on a calculator, determine how much pipe to run.

"He could go from ground level to the top of the roof," said Eric Terry, 57, a licensed master plumber in the Facilities Management Department (FMD) at Duke. "The man -- my God -- was amazing in my book. Very smart in the pipefitting field. He taught me quite a bit."

Terry was among the Duke community members Thursday mourning the loss of Cofer, 63, a Duke Meritorious Service Award winner who died this week when a steam line ruptured in the Levine Science Research Center (LSRC) on Research Drive.

A master steam fitter with FMD for nearly eight years, Cofer was working in the basement shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday when the accident occurred. The incident is being investigated by Duke University, the Durham Fire Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

"The loss of Ray Cofer, an outstanding member of the Duke family, reminds us all of how precious and valued our employees are," said Clint Davidson, vice president for Duke Human Resources. "We are deeply saddened whenever tragedy strikes one of our own, and our thoughts and prayers are with Ray's family during this difficult time."

Across Duke's campus Thursday, where university flags flew at half-staff, staff members reminisced and offered support for a colleague they described as funny, generous and an expert at his skilled craft. He was quick with a wink or trademark thumbs up sign.

Erma Gray, a staff specialist with facilities, ate lunch almost daily with Cofer and other facilities employees in an area of Smith Warehouse known as the plumbing shop. She said Cofer's light-hearted nature kept everyone laughing.

"There were times he would make everyone laugh so hard that our stomachs would hurt," Gray said. "We're going to miss him at the lunch table. It won't be nearly as fun without him. He was a very upbeat guy who always took on challenging projects without hesitating."

Ray Cofer, back row right, is honored with other FMD employees who won the Meritorious Service Award for 2003.

Cofer, who lived in Franklinton with his wife, Suzanne, a member of the Rolesville Chamber of Commerce's board of directors, loved NASCAR, his dogs and fishing for bass on his new boat on Kerr Lake.

Before joining Duke in 2001, Cofer worked at Quate Industrial Services, a Durham-based contractor that fabricates and installs commercial and industrial piping systems in the Carolinas and Virginia. As a project manager at Quate, Cofer worked on several projects at Duke, including the installation of a boiler in Duke's steam plant.

Cofer offered good advice and "Rayfordisms," said Rusty Quate, co-owner of Quate.

"He was a multi-talented individual, an extremely hard worker, very intelligent and had a great sense of humor," Quate said. "He'd come up with some of the funniest things."

At Duke, Cofer received many accolades from his department and university. He was honored with the 2003 Meritorious Service Award, one of the top employee honors at Duke. Timothy Dunlap, plumbing and steam fitting supervisor in Facilities Management, nominated Cofer for the award.

In the one-and-a-half-page nomination, Dunlap wrote, "Rayford has consistently been a top performer at the Facilities Management Department since his employment in 2001."

The nomination describes Cofer's involvement in developing improvements to the university's steam system resulting in financial savings and greater efficiency. It also notes that Cofer was responsible for responding to all steam-related emergencies, including steam leaks and breaks.

"Rayford is one of the hardest working people at Duke University," Dunlap wrote. "His drive to excel and make improvements is second to none."

Cofer also won numerous awards from FMD. In April 2006, his team was honored for maintenance work in the Allen Building. He was on FMD's Team of the Quarter in October 2004 and April 2003. He also received the FMD Employee of the Quarter Award in October 2002 and January 2004.

Terry, the master plumber in Duke facilities, worked with Cofer on many projects. Cofer trained him on steam operations, and they knew each other for 10 years. More than anything, Terry said, Cofer's legacy will be his generosity and open heart.

During an ice storm several years ago, Cofer opened his house to Terry, who had lost power at his own home.

"My home is your home," Cofer told him. "I love you, brother. You're family to me."