Ray Freeman

I cannot add more than has been expressed here already. Ray was not only highly appreciated for his knowledge and ability to pass this on to others, but his warmth, humour and humanity which shone through. My sincere condolences to Ray's family.

I only heard very recently of Ray’s passing. I wish my deepest condolences to Anne-Marie and Ray's family. I have extremely happy memories of my time being in Ray’s group in Oxford as a part II student and then doing a DPhil. I requested to join the group because in the pamphlet describing part II opportunities he appeared to be doing the coolest research. His undergraduate lectures were never well attended. With hindsight I think this is because he did not dwell on the details of how to assign an NMR spectrum (which students thought was what they needed to know). He did not give the lectures with the swagger of someone who was a world leading scientist and wanted all the students to know it. It was therefore quite a surprise for me when after I joined the group I realised just how revered he was in the NMR community. Ray ran the group from the tea-room. The lengthy morning and afternoon tea breaks with Ray were certainly the highlights of the day (and I don’t even like tea). It was here that the interchange of ideas happened. Ray offered so much insight, and had the depth of experience to know what was achievable and where the barriers should be pushed. He did this with a humour that was very dry but still very cheeky. I could not have wished for a better mentor. I will never forget him.

Extremely sorry to hear that Ray Freeman has passed away. My deepest heartfelt condolences to Mrs Freeman,Dominique,John Marc,Louise Annie and Lawrence. I hope I have got those names correct if not apologies. Lal

Our sincere condolences to Ray’s family and friends. We wish them all the strength and love to overcome this great loss.

My deepest condolences to Anne-Marie and Ray's family. He will be greatly missed by his students, former colleagues and the whole NMR community.

Ray Freeman was the proverbial 'gentleman and a scholar', a kind and gentle man who was a giant in the NMR field and one of my heroes. I was privileged to get to know him when I was a postdoc in Oxford and he was there in physical chemistry. I have two main memories of many. First was hiking in the Alps with (among others) him and his daughter Dom at a meeting in Sienna, and hearing "spin echo" echoed back off the mountains. Second was at a meeting in Israel one July, when he wryly observed at a talk that American Independence Day was observed in Great Britain also, but as Thanksgiving Day! Ray's passing is so sad, and he will be much and forever missed. All of Ray's family have my most sincere condolences. There are many good memories.

I was so very sorry to hear this sad news, and I send my sincere condolences to Ray's family and friends. Although I was only in Ray's group for quite a short while, I know I owe him very much indeed and I remember him, the group, and that time with great fondness. He often spoke with such a subtle blend of quiet self-deprecation and humour that it feels almost uncomfortable to use superlatives about him, but nothing else will do. Ray was not just a great scientist who profoundly influenced the field of NMR, but also a wonderful mentor (that seems a more appropriate word to use than supervisor or even teacher, though he was both those things as well). As others have said, he was somehow able to bring out the best from everyone in his group, and this made it a genuinely inspirational creative environment in which to learn and work; he set the highest standards while never having to say so. The world of NMR is certainly a smaller place without Ray and he will be very greatly missed.

Saddened to hear of Ray's passing- such an inspirational figure in NMR for so many scientists joining the field over so many decades. Ray's papers and text books had a huge influence on me as a graduate student taking my first steps in the discipline, and Ray's influence has been immeasurable in making NMR what it is today. Condolences to family and friends.