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Raymond E Smith Jr is an American entrepreneur, businessman, and inventor. Ray was born in Anaheim, California on March 19, 1972 to Raymond Edward Smith SR, and Evelyn Dawn Smith. He is the youngest of five siblings, 2 older brothers, James Leon Smith, and Charley Hogan Smith and two older sisters, Janeen Marie Smith, and Debbie Lynn Davis. His mother Dawn, was in the electronics field and was instrumental in the first cell phone being built, tested and later produced, as well as work with designing the first solid state electronic alarm for Kawasaki. SHe too would bring home projects for the family to complete as a group.

Ray spent much of his youth working alongside his family members on side projects usually stemming from his fathers main line of business (Koppers Co, Inc prior to 1989, Koppers Industries after 1989 buyout from Beazer of Europe). "Lil Ray" is what he was affectionately known as among family and in his fathers offices and plants where he and his next oldest brother Charley would sometimes play in wooden forts that were made for them by plant personnel. As Ray turned 6 the family moved to Folsom California where he had more room to roam in the foothills casted by shadows of the Sierra mountains. It was a much better place than Anaheim and allowed Ray to grow up with close friends which would frame how he would be as an adult.

After nine years in Folsom, Rays father had the opportunity to transfer to Denver Colorado in 1988. Ray moved out ahead of his family in late 1987 according to records at West Grand High School in Kremmling Colorado. Ray again had room to roam and was involved in wrestling until he had a spinal cord injury while hunting where his legs became numb for 4 days, eventually he would fully recover but could no longer play sports for fear of future complications. Ray lived with his cousin Tim Wall, Aunt Martha Wall, and his Uncle Fred Wall. He lived at the Wall place until his parents moved out in the Spring of 1988.