Elliot Ring, retired Chief Engineer of the Raytheon Company, died Saturday, September 27, 2014 at his Concord home. He was born in Manhattan, N.Y., of immigrant parents and lived most of his youth in the Bronx. In his teen years he became fascinated with mechanical drawing and a friend introduced him to drafting, giving him the tools. He frequented the library taking out books on drafting and science, teaching himself the basics. In 1941, he graduated from the exam school for science and mathematics, Stuyvesant High School in N.Y., where he won first prize for his drafting capability. At the same time, one night while walking in Central Park he picked up a flyer on the ground announcing a meeting of the American Rocket Society to be held at the Metropolitan Museum of Science. The lecture that night was on rocket propulsion, and upon reading Cleater's book "Rockets Through Space" he was hooked and began a life long profession. At this time, he could not afford to go to college, and was able to get a job as a draftsman at Chandler Evans in Meriden, Connecticut. Mr. Chandler arranged for him to live in a private house where he paid $10 a week for room, board and laundry and he became a lifelong friend of the family. He also earned another $10 a week for himself. Mr. Chandler was his mentor for many years. In 1943, he was drafted into the army and placed into the armored force at Fort Knox and then shipped to North Africa. He was again transferred to the Air Force Ordnance Co., and sent to the India Burma area where the Japanese were invading. He established a lab with whatever pieces of junk he could find and built batteries, repaired equipment and won a special CBI "Service-Chief Award. He also took correspondence courses offered by the University of Wisconsin to try to keep up to date. Upon discharge in 1946 he received the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge, Good Conduct Medal, and others. Returning home he applied to MIT with the GI Bill. He majored in Mechanical Engineering and organized a branch of the American Rocket Society, serving as President. Professor Asher Shapiro helped him organize an extra curricular course on rocketry taught by a group of professors. In 1949, he married Alma Gilbert a Tufts graduate, who worked at Wheelock College as a librarian. Because of his activity and MIT recommendations he was offered a job upon graduation in 1950 at General Electric in Schenectady, N.Y. at the Malta Test Station. He became the lead engineer for the design of a most unusual hybrid propulsion system on the Hermes rocket. He also took evening courses at Union College where he received his M.S.degree. In 1955, He joined the Martin Company in Baltimore to develop the Titan 1 as chief of propulsion. The Martin Co. built a new plant in Denver, Colorado where he also became the head of propulsion on Titan 2 and 3. Elliot also was the editor of a book "Rocket Propulsion and Pressurization Systems", published by Prentice Hall. Based on the book, he taught a course at the University of Colorado. Being a great believer in continuing education, he worked with the Univ. of Colorado to offer courses at the company for engineers so as to update their skills and knowledge. Again he was asked to move to Orlando, Fla. to become Director of Design and Development with what was now Lockheed-Martin. He was responsible for the engineering of 800 engineers working on the Sprint, the fastest missile ever made, and Pershing. He later became Chief Engineer of the Division. In 1977 he joined Raytheon in Bedford and settled with his family in Concord, Ma. His work involved the Patriot and other projects, later becoming Chief Engineer in the corporate office. In 1992, he retired, but did not stop activity being active in the Concord community initiating and teaching for the Village University, teaching courses at Concord-Carlisle High School on rocket engineering, and teaching a course on astronomy at the Brandeis ILR. His daily excursions to the Concord Library was to read every book they had on philosophy and religion. He was also an accomplished artist and his paintings and wood sculptures have been exhibited in Maitland, Fla. and in the Concord Art Museum. He helped Alma establish the Springboard organization for learning disabled adults and the Threshold program at Lesley College. His greatest pride was his family, Alma his wife, Steven, Martin and Jenny, his children, and grandchildren, Adam and Noah. Visiting hours will be held at his home at 270 Border Road, Concord, MA on Wednesday, October 1st from 5 to 7 pm and Thursday, October 2nd from 5 to 7 pm. Private burial will be in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord. Contributions in his memory may be made to Concord Free Public Library, c/o Development Office, 129 Main Street, Concord, MA 01742 or to Community Education, 500 Walden Street, Concord, MA 01742. Army Veteran, WW II.