“Raymond Matthew Jefferson Jr. and Nadia Jefferson received a gift of joy destined to influence the world when their child Raymond M. Jefferson III was born on June 13, 1966, in Albany,” his family wrote in a tribute.

He died on Oct. 13, 2024. He was 58.

“He attended schools in the Guilderland school system and graduated from Guilderland High School where he excelled academically, mastered martial arts, and dominated on the wrestling team,” the tribute said. “Ray’s academic and athletic achievements were numerous, yet he exhibited an early penchant for dedication, service, and desire to give to others.

“Always focused and determined, Ray worked in a dojo in high school, perfecting his martial arts skills for two to three hours a day, thrusting his fists into buckets of sand.

“He also worked diligently at the local golf course where his dedication and work ethic caught the eye of Joyce and Dominic Ferraioli who introduced Ray to Senator Sam Stratton, paving the way for Ray to receive a congressional nomination to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Ray graduated from the academy with a bachelor of science degree in leadership and a commission in the United States Army as a second lieutenant.

“As a U.S. Army Officer, Ray served with valor in three elite military and special forces units — the Presidential Honor Guard, the 3rd Ranger Battalion, and 1st Special Forces Group/Green Berets. Thriving as a beloved leader and dutiful soldier, Ray faced tragedy when he was wounded in the line of duty.

“The consummate warrior and selfless leader, then Captain Jefferson held onto an explosive device rather than endanger other soldiers in his unit by throwing it. With his unmatched bravery, he lost the fingers on his left hand but never lost his heart for service nor his tenacity for life.

“He healed from the accident, and he visited amputees and trauma victims on a national awareness campaign with Easter Seals to educate amputees regarding the availability of aesthetic, upper-limb prostheses. His personal goal was ‘expanding societal perceptions about the limits of human physical capabilities.’

“Determined not to let the end of his military career dictate the course of his life, Ray leveraged his knowledge of military leadership and decided to pursue a knowledge of leadership and management from the private-sector perspective.

“He earned a master’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University, graduating with distinction as a Littauer Fellow, where he engaged in a variety of leadership and social entrepreneurship endeavors leading to being recognized as one of three in his class to receive the Dean’;s Award for outstanding leadership.

“Upon graduation, Ray served as a White House Fellow working as a special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and at the State Department with the under secretary for management. Ray also served as a Fulbright Fellow in Singapore where he analyzed how public-sector leadership is exercised in Singapore’s Asian, multi-cultural environment.

“Ray was selected for national recognition as one of two recipients to receive the inaugural Harrison H. Schmitt Leadership Award from Secretary of State Colin Powell and he was recognized with the Rising Star Award from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in 2003.

“Ray served as the Deputy Director for the State of Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, devoting his time to supporting business, creating jobs, and improving Hawaii’s standard of living. Ray later joined McKinsey Consulting in their Leadership and Organization Practice for the Asia-Pacific region.

“Ray’s leadership was evident in every role he embraced, from his time as Assistant Secretary for Veterans Employment and Training at the U.S. Department of Labor, where he worked tirelessly to create opportunities for veterans, to his founding role as chairman of the Service Academies Global Summit, which brought together military academy graduates from all five U.S. service academies to inspire leadership, fellowship, and shared service.

“Recently he lived in Singapore where through the work of his company — Jefferson Group — he assisted countless people and organizations create positive social impact and advance leadership. He was a beacon of hope for so many, always pushing forward the ideals of compassion and the spirit of giving back.

“Though the accolades, positions, and accomplishments are numerous, it is the beautiful soul and great human being that we will miss dearly. Ray embodied the kindness, generosity, and tenacity of a son, a brother, a leader, and a friend.

“As a leader, Ray was the paragon, the embodiment, of protection and provision. His captivating smile and infectious laugh created an atmosphere of comfort and ease as he imparted knowledge and wisdom for any scenario.

“Ray was a champion for the voiceless, always willing to assist anyone in need. He had an unwavering pursuit of a socially and politically just world that fueled his desire to leave a legacy rooted in tradition, excellence, and merit.

“His natural charm enhanced his desire to enrich the lives of everyone with whom he interacted. He drew energy from being in the presence of others and finding ways to help them, ways to enhance their lives. He was an avid reader who sought every opportunity to increase his knowledge on leadership and human nature.

“Ray was also extremely intentional about “clean living.” He thrived on holistic healing, meditation, physical exercise, mental fitness, and spiritual pursuits. These were some of his greatest pleasures in life and one might say, his ‘love language.’

“Ray was a gregarious person who never met a stranger. All who knew him will forever cherish his laughter, his smile, his knowledge, his sincere counsel, and his never-ending desire to serve.

“Ray personified the statement ‘it’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness’ in his life’s purpose to stimulate, develop, and instill solid leadership to create a better world. Ray’s candle ignited many others, and he taught us to continue lighting candles.

“Ray’s assertive and unapologetic influence on generations of leaders weave the fibers creating the tapestry of his life and legacy. Those fibers, colored with joy and pleasure, were woven together by the loom of birth.

“Ray’s tapestry of life became more beautifully intricate, and fibers and yarns were added with each human being he met, each accolade he received, and each life he influenced. But the loom has ceased spinning, and the last stitch has been sewn. Ray transitioned on October 13, 2024.”

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Raymond Matthew Jefferson Jr. is survived by his mother, Nadia Jefferson, and his brother, Alex Y. Jefferson, and his brother’s wife, Kristina.

He is also survived by his uncle, Hany Ayoub, and his wife, Evette; his aunts, Amal Ayoub and Marjorie Jefferson; and his cousins, Sylvia Ayoub-Gaines, Haidy Ayoub-Brown, Stanley Evans, Pamela South, and Tammy Napier.

A funeral service was held on Oct. 30 at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Albany with entombment at Albany Rural Cemetery until he is laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery in the spring. Those unable to join in person may view the funeral service at https://youtube.com/live/G4_2CQ55YoM?feature=share.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hope For The Warriors, MSC 7613, Post Office Box 415000, Nashville, TN 37241 or in memory of Raymond Jefferson Jr. to The American Cancer Society, Post Office Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.