Ray Warren
By: Torre Nelson
July 19, 2024
The UFO phenomenon attracts interest from individuals with varied backgrounds and experiences – some highly technical with science related backgrounds and others with simply a high degree of curiosity. Ray Warren is both – he is an educated man with a propensity for inquisitiveness who has graced the local MUFON Chapter with his research and open-mindedness for many years. Ray’s body is sound, his mind is sharp and he has a very outgoing and charming personality. When meeting Ray, you immediately like him and within a few minutes you realize the extent of his intelligence, curiosity, kindness and wit. He is very enjoyable to talk with and he can recall in great detail the many experiences he has had throughout his life. Ray enjoys reading and attributes his open-mindedness to an early age of his life when he read the book entitled Lost Horizons by James Hilton (orig. pub. 1933). This is a story which is about the hidden valley of Shangri-La where one never ages. The book opened Ray’s mind to the many possibilities of our world. Once his curiosity is ignited, Ray will dig into a topic until he becomes an expert on it. Then, once you ask him a question, it may be a while before you can interject and he may cover many relevant topics before he is done answering your question.
Ray had always been interested in science and space and at an early age he joined others with similar interests in a group called New Frontiers in Space. When the original organizer of the New Frontiers in Space organization decided to retire, Ray became the organization’s leader. However, Ray was originally a skeptic when it came to the possibility of alien life and earthly visitations. That was until Ray read Thomas J. Carey and Donald R. Schmitt’s book, Witness to Roswell, 75th Anniversary Edition: Unmasking the Government’s biggest cover-up, and he then became very interested in the possibility of other life in the universe. Ray joined a local chapter of the Mutual UFO Network (the original MUFON organization) in 1973. At that time, MUFON was led by 3M physicist, Lou Masonic (Ma-sonic), a man who Ray respects immensely and who Ray describes as “very knowledgeable and there is more to him than he lets on.” His latter impression of Lou may be intuitive but is likely very accurate as far as ufology is concerned. In 2023, I interviewed Lou Masonic for another article I was writing. During the interview, Lou hinted that there may be more to his UFO related sightings than he was willing to divulge because, as is common in abduction cases, his memory of the events is incomplete. However, Lou’s memory of his leadership of MUFON is very good. In 1973 Lou made a deal with Walt Andrus, famous leader of a similarly named organization called “The Midwest UFO Network.” Lou allowed Walt’s organization to use the local Minnesota organization’s name, “Mutual UFO Network,” to replace “The Midwest UFO Network” name which had geographically outgrown its old name. This allowed the local organization to become a state chapter for Walt’s newly named organization. Lou became the first Minnesota State Director and on April 20th, 1976, Ray became a duly authorized State Section Director in Minnesota. Ray still has his 1976 membership card with this designation from MUFON signed by Walt Andrus. Ray also has kept much other documentation about his time in MUFON and other organizations he has been involved with.
Ray was the youngest of eight children. He graduated from Robbinsdale High School in 1966. While in high school, Ray began a job working at Midwest Printing (subsequently changed names to Webb Publishing\Quebecor Printing as ownership changed) and he continued to work there after he graduated. Ray started as a general worker but eventually worked his way up to Ink Man and then 1st and 2nd Pressman. He became the union shop steward and remembers negotiating salary contracts for all the employees. Around the end of the century, Quebecor Printing closed and laid off all employees including Ray. The union balked and eventually negotiated a settlement that agreed to help pay for Ray’s college education under the dislocated worker’s program. Ray then started a two-year program at Century College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was able to test out of some classes and was able to graduate early. Ray graduated with a degree in Building Operations (which is the equivalent of a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning [HVAC] degree today). Ray then took jobs with local hotels before being hired by the Catholic Church and given responsibility for HVAC in 5 buildings on the St. Albert the Great Church campus. St. Albert the Great Church is still located on East 29th Street at 32nd Avenue in Minneapolis, MN, and boasts one of the largest annual Lenten fish fry’s in Minnesota. Although he was raised as a Lutheran, Ray worked at St. Albert’s the Great until he retired in 2015. During his years at St. Albert’s, Ray became great friends with Father Joe Gillespie (still a close friend) and Father Tony. Father Tony gave Ray some great advice – “Never doubt your goodness!”
Throughout his life, Ray has developed many interests. While working as a teenager at Midwest Printing in SE Minneapolis, Ray was introduced to Kirlian Photography. Kirlian photography is a collection of photographic techniques using high voltage to capture the phenomenon of electrical coronal discharges. In 1939, Semyon Davidovich Kirlian discovered that by placing an object or body part directly on a photographic plate and then passing a high voltage across the object, he would obtain the image of a glowing contour surrounding the object. Some parapsychologists, such as Thelma Moss of UCLA, have proposed that these images show levels of psychic powers and bio-energies. Ray was intrigued and studied the topic in-depth. In the early 1960s, Dr. Max L Lȕscher published his book, “The Lȕscher Color Test”, in which Dr. Lȕscher suggested that accurate psychological information (revealing personality traits) can be gained about a person through his choices and rejections of colors. Intrigued by this hypothesis, Ray read Lȕscher’s book and found that he could apply this technique to co-workers. Ray utilized the information gained using Lȕscher’s processes several times to help advance his career.
Ray also became interested in computers. Being the curious mind that he was, he had to figure out how to build a windows-based computer. He became familiar with the DOS (disc operating system) and how disk storage worked. He obtained all the parts he needed and in little time he put it all together. He is now amazed that his current pocket computer (his phone) is more powerful than the computer he built and is much smaller. Ray also explored the capabilities of Apple’s Macintosh computer but stated emphatically that he prefers the windows-based system.
Early in his adult life, Ray joined two clubs with similar interests and purported connections – The Masons (Freemasonry) and the Shriners. Freemasonry started in the Middle Ages by the guild of stonemasons who built stone buildings and other stone structures. Attaining a career job in the Middle Ages was quite different than it is today. Instead of obtaining a formal education first, as is done today, most young men skipped the education altogether and followed in their father’s profession. Masonic fathers helped their son’s progression in Freemasonry. As young men grew and entered the stonemason guild, they were trained and given the secrets of stone construction. They were given titles based on their training and competency level: Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master Mason. At each level, they were given the secrets of stone construction for that level. This assured that as masons moved from job to job, they would get uniform and appropriate pay and the customer would get quality construction. It also assured that the unqualified (untrained) would be kept out of the industry. In the early 18th century, as the number of stonemasons declined, the guilds opened their membership to non-masons and became the benevolent organization it is today. Several people influenced Ray to join the Masons including his father and brother, both masons (Ray had seen their masonic rings). Customer, Ken Bush, Master of the Masonic Blue Lodge in Minnesota, often came into the print shop where Ray was working. He offered to sponsor Ray for membership into the local lodge. Ray was curious, principled and adventurous and the doctrines of both Masonry and the Shriners appealed to Ray’s good nature and his desire to help mankind…so he agreed to join.
The Grand Lodge of Ohio Free and Accepted Mason website (freemason.com/what-is-freemasonry) describes Freemasonry as “… one of the oldest fraternal organizations in the world. It unites men of good character who, though of different religious, ethnic or social backgrounds, share a belief in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of mankind. Freemasonry offers a system or blueprint for the good man to further improve his character and actions through its system of degrees, symbols, and fellowship opportunities.” The mnfreemasons.org website states: “One of the greatest values in Freemasonry is that it affords an opportunity for men of all walks of life to meet on common ground where all men are equal and have one common interest.” Or as Ray describes Freemasonry, “Freemasonry takes good men and makes them better giving, caring, and loving men who take care of their fellow man.”
Despite its benevolent and spiritual posture, Freemasonry has not always possessed a magnanimous stature among the unapprised. Based on the development of stonemasons in the Middle Ages, secrecy was paramount to maintaining the professionalism and quality of the stonemason’s work and, especially, his reputation. Potential stonemason candidates initially had to be trained. Their training was completed in secret initiation rites and candidates were subject to severe punishment for divulging these confidences. Over the years, secrecy and the close associations that Freemasons have within industry and politics has led to suspicion, mistrust and pronouncements of conspiracy that still survive. Current masons still face severe retribution for disclosing confidences. In spite of suspicion, criticism and often condemnation, Freemasonry remains steadfast to their traditions of providing much compassion, beneficial activities and charitable giving.
The Masons support the community through many events, contributions to charities and scholarships. They have established lodges throughout the world. Per the Minnesota website, there were 116 lodges in Minnesota as of February 29, 2024. Ray has been associated with the masons for over 40 years and has been a member of three lodges in the Minneapolis area. He started as a member of the Grand Lodge, called Minneapolis #19. After many years, Ray transferred to a lodge closer to his home, the Plymouth Lodge #160. It was with the Plymouth Lodge that Ray fulfilled a 1-year term as the Worshipful Master (responsible for the activities of the whole lodge). Ray’s brother from Florida flew home to present Ray with a plaque commemorating Ray’s becoming the Worshipful Master. In recent years, Ray joined the Compass Lodge #265 (in Crystal, Minnesota) to be even closer to his home. In 2009, Ray received recognition for 25 years of service and in 2024 he received recognition for 40 years of service. Ray still attends meetings and is active in lodge activities yet today.
As is customary, a new member enters the lodge as an Entered Apprentice before evolving via specific training to Fellow Craft and eventually becoming a Master Mason. Once a candidate becomes a Master Mason, he can attend all workings of every ceremony and is expected to, via rituals and ceremonies, attain masonic degrees 4 through 32. Once this is accomplished, the mason may attain the 33rd degree where he is given special secret knowledge. Not all masons wish to get the 33rd degree as it currently requires the ceremony to be held in Washington, DC. Ray reached the 32nd degree but has no desire to travel to Washington, DC, at his own expense to attain the 33rd degree.
Each lodge holds regular meetings where it adheres to masonic tradition in its handling of masonic business and initiatory rites. The masonic lodge, like any organization, must rely on its leadership team to train its officers. Ray was trained for important positions within the masons dealing with administration and security of the lodge meetings. He ascended the metaphorical masonic ladder as he participated in many levels of initiatory rites and accepted higher levels of responsibility. His first officer position was as the Tyler of the Lodge who was posted to the entrance of the lodge meeting hall to deter unauthorized entry to meetings. Shortly thereafter he advanced to Junior Deacon where he was given the tasks to check security and inform the Worshipful Master that the lodge was secure and that the meeting could be begin. He also would assist the candidates during ceremonies. Ray then rose to become the Senior Warden who always sat in the West of the lodge opposite the Worshipful Master. As the Senior Warden, Ray assisted the Worshipful Master of the Lodge with opening and closing the lodge and with conducting the rituals. Ray eventually became the Worshipful Master where he was responsible for the whole lodge, its business and all of the ceremonies.
Per shrinersinternational.org, “Shriner’s International is a fraternity based on fun, fellowship and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief and truth. Shriners are known for their fellowship, brotherhood, compassion and generosity. The fraternity established Shriners Hospitals for Children as its official philanthropy in 1922, and continues to support it today, while striving to make the world a happier, better place. Shriners International helps good men become better leaders, husbands, fathers, friends and community contributors. Brotherhood is the cultural foundation that distinguishes the Shriner’s fraternity from other groups and associations. When you become a Shriner, you join a network of nearly 200,000 brothers around the globe who are dedicated to helping and supporting each other personally and professionally.” The Shriner’s have a strong focus on family and sponsor many special events for family and community interaction. Do you remember when the Shriner’s sponsored the annual Shriner’s Circus or when their float went by in the Independence Day parade? These family-oriented social attributes attracted Ray. He became a popular Shriner’ s clown because he enjoyed making adults and children smile. Due to his organization skills and his personality, Ray eventually became Director of the Clowns. Ray truly loves to see both adults and children enjoy themselves socially and have fun. Ray said, “Clowns get big smiles – you can’t buy that!” Later he joined the Provost unit of the Shriners. The Provost unit is responsible for security of several buildings including the Children’s Hospital, the Masonic Home and the Shrine Center. Based on the stories Ray tells, he has certainly enjoyed his time with the Masons and the Shriners and is fully committed to the tenets of both organizations. His dedication to both organizations is a tribute to Ray’s personal character.
Another example of Ray’s character was exemplified on May 15th, 1973, when someone beat the caretaker in the apartment in which Ray and his wife lived near Franklin and 4th in Minneapolis. Ray heard a commotion, saw the perpetrator and, disregarding the risk to himself, chased the suspect. He was then able to work with the Minneapolis police department to identify and apprehend the criminal. For his assistance Ray received an “Outstanding Citizen Award” from the Minneapolis Police Department.
Early in Ray’s life, he developed a very special friendship with local radio personality, Michael W. Wegner, or Michael J. “Donuts” Douglas, as he was known as his on-air radio personality. Michael J. “Donuts” was best known as being part of the popular morning radio show Knapp & Donuts on local radio station KS95 but he also had worked for affiliated stations WYOO and U100. Michel J. “Donuts” often talked on air about the UFO phenomenon, Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster. He often had Ray call in on-air to discuss recent sightings and investigations that Ray knew about. Like many UFO inquisitors, Michael J. “Donuts” eventually became fed up with UFO research because the research did not provide any answers – it only led to more questions. Ray still has some of the tape recordings of his on-air discussions with Michael J. Donuts, and they are very interesting to listen too. Ray still talks kindly about Michael J. “Donuts” who died in suddenly on April 24th, 2013, and you can tell Ray misses him dearly.
While leading the group “New Frontiers in Space,” Ray provided Michael J. “Donuts” and local radio station WYOO/U100 with a recording that Ray had of a presentation by Professor Robert Carr from Florida State University on November 1-3, 1974, in Tampa Bay, Florida called “UFOs: Do you Believe?” The presentation disclosed an alleged secret that Air Intelligence at Wight Patterson Air Force Base had obtained a UFO with 12 dead alien bodies. The UFO was originally on radar traveling at immense speed and apparently crashed 3 miles west of Aztec, New Mexico. Law enforcement was sent to and secured the scene. Once the Air Force arrived, they managed to get the door open and found 12 bodies that were still limp and warm. The bodies were then taken to Edwards Air Force Base and were refrigerated in a large morgue. The President was notified but did not visit. All aliens were males with fair skin and were 3-4 feet in height with different shades of brownish hair. One body was selected for autopsy. Six doctors were videotaped as they identified and laid out the organs. The autopsy determined that they were very much like humans. They breathed oxygen and drank water. They could have passed as children but when the brains were examined, the brains were determined to be in an advanced stage of development and appeared to be approximately 300 years old. In 1952, the government claimed this was a hoax but no other details were given. Was this actually a hoax, or was this event covered up by our government? The listeners were left to decide for themselves. Dr. Carr asked the listeners to write letters to Senator Barry Goldwater to encourage the senator to ask then President Gerald Ford to stop shooting at UFOs. He said military policies have been created from a standpoint of fear and that we need to change this to a form of friendly contact. The tape went on to talk about how Russians take UFOs seriously by flying highly trained scientists to UFO sighting sites. It also stated that an alleged UFO at Wright Patterson Air Force Base contains a circular tube which used magnetics as the impetus for propulsion for the UFO. Dr. Carr also stated that cultists believe that aliens live amongst us; however, he does not believe this because his experience with UFO research has shown that aliens do not understand our culture. He did state that royal houses throughout history claim intermarriage with Gods and he wonders if this could be with aliens. The radio host gave credit to and thanked Ray Warran and Meeker County Sheriff, Mike Rogers for the tape recording of Dr. Carr’s presentation and the cattle mutilation discussion presented earlier in the radio show.
In the seventies, Ray also taped a WYOO radio show called “Local Yokals” which was a Michael J. “Donuts” show that explored the unusual. Ray Warren, then director of the New Frontiers in Space organization, was interviewed before the show’s host, Michael J. “Donuts”, began taking callers. One of the callers, named Michael (not Michael J. “Donuts”), mentioned that his grandfather was in the U of M hospital, likely on his deathbed, when he told the caller a secret that he had never told anyone because he was afraid they would think he was crazy. He gave limited details but said that he was driving when saw a disc-shaped craft hovering above him. He stopped the car and saw beings in the craft looking directly at him. They just sat there staring at him. He soon realized he couldn’t walk or talk. Then they just took off and his faculties returned to normal (he didn’t mention any missing time). This was an example of someone who had nothing to gain by telling his story but it bothered him so much he had to tell someone before he died.
Michael J “Donuts” Douglas had his own family story that he told during the show. Michael’s grandfather and grandmother lived on a farm 6 miles due East of Northfield, MN. In 1966, while driving their small Plymouth Valiant car down their driveway on their way to get the cows from across the road, Grandpa said that the car just shut off and stopped in the driveway – that had never happened before…. then they noticed a low silvery disc-shaped craft moving very slowly across the sky. They both saw it but neither had any idea what it was. It was not a plane or a helicopter and it was totally silent. There did not seem to be any evidence of a propulsion system. There was no mention of missing time and the car started right back up when the craft left.
Ray was certainly well connected with celebrities in the UFO community. In that same “Local Yokals” show, he connected Micheal J. “Donuts” with MUFON’s National Director, Mr. Walt Andrus, a close friend of J. Allen Hynek. Mr. Andrus said that “If the people in the Twin Cities WYOO listening area see something unusual in the sky, they should call MN State Director, Lou Masonick. He will investigate your sighting personally or assign one of his investigators.” He also gave Lou’s number out over the airways. Mr. Andrus said that the Air Force believes that UFOs do not exist and pose no threat to the security of the United States. However, he only believes the latter to be true. Mr. Andrus stated that the AirForce has not investigated UFOs since 1969 and refers reports to the nearest scientific agency interested in these reports. He said that the Airforce, despite believing UFOs do not exist, indicated that UFO technology has not proven to be more advanced than our own technology on earth. Mr. Andrus stated that this statement is wrong because our conventional (air)craft obviously cannot catch them. He stated that the Airforce says that they have not been presented with or acquired extraterrestrial craft or technology. Mr. Andrus does not believe this statement. Despite being critical of the government, Mr. Andrus also said that there is truth to the fact that the government has, in the last year, opened up related UFO information with the help of TV shows and movies. Mr. Andrus had recently been on the NBC special “Do You Believe?” which was aired on December 15th, 1974. He stated that the show was only a surface look at ufology and that the show did not investigate the UFO phenomenon seriously. It was designed to attract only the people who had simply a passing interest in UFOs. People in Ufology knew that the information presented in the show was very basic. Mr. Andrus had presented his case for the show from the standpoint of “What is being done to shed positive light the UFO phenomenon?” The top decision-makers at NBC felt that his point-of-view was entirely too strong (might scare people). So they preceded to interview Carl Sagan and an another anti-ufology person instead. Neither were very strong in their presentation. Before finishing his interview, Mr. Andrus stated that he appreciated Michael J “Donut’s” work supporting ufology and the work done by WYOO radio in the Twin Cities. Michael J. “Donuts” certainly deserves the accolades but much of that appreciation should also extend to Ray Warren.
Michael J. “Donuts” introduced Ray to some now relatively famous people. Ray remembers that Michael J. “Donuts” hooked him up with J. Allen Hynek, the famous late UFO researcher, and Ted Phillips, also a famous late UFO researcher, to help them investigate a UFO landing in Medford, MN. Both Ted Phillips and J. Allen Hynek were giants in the field of ufology. Ray and Michel J. “Donuts” picked up Hynek at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport and Ray drove them to a farmer’s home near Medford, MN. They investigated where a circular craft had landed on the Medford High School football field and made several depressions in the ground which were approximately 8-10” deep. They talked to the local sheriff, the local farmer and the farmer’s daughter who had been recently crowned “Princess Kay of the Milky Way” and who had witnessed the sightings firsthand. Ted Phillips, who drove himself to Medford, was an investigator who specialized in trace evidence at landing sites. Ted showed Ray how water would not mix with soil from the landing site depression. Ted, who had experience investigating 100’s of landing sites, indicated that the trace evidence supported something extraordinary happening at the Medford High School Football Field site. Several City and County Law Enforcement officers came to the farmer’s home to meet J. Allen Hynek and to discuss with him the multiple sightings they had seen in in their respective law enforcement areas.
In the 1950’s, the government had hired a group of educated people to work with a special committee to investigate UFOs. They had hired J. Allen Hynek to be a member of the investigative group. The committee was called “Project Bluebook” and it was expected to review UFO reports and determine what was actually happening. However, Project Bluebook was actually a cover for the government to belittle and deny that UFOs existed. J. Allen Hynek was originally a skeptic hired to work for “Project Bluebook” but he eventually determined that the data actually supported the existence of UFOs and he became a believer in extraterrestrial visitation. J. Allen Hynek was in Washington in 1952 and observed the famous UFO incident where UFOs flew over the nation’s Capital. Ray remembers that J. Allen Hynek was very stoic and was all business while Ted Phillips was very affable and was a joy to be around.
Ray was also invited to help investigate a cattle mutilation story from Meeker County, Minnesota, (an hour West of the Twin Cities) by Terry Evans, who was an ex-cop and expert in cattle mutilation cases. The investigation found a mutilated cow with precision cuts and soft tissue removed. There were no tracks around the animal at all. The evidence suggested that the animals had been dropped in the pasture. The precision cuts were evidence of advanced technology. The police settled on the conclusion that occult groups were killing cows for ritual sacrifice. However, the lack of blood, lack of tracks and precision cuts didn’t fit this conclusion. Shortly after discussing this case on the radio, the FBI sent agents to Michael J. “Donuts” home to allegedly protect him from these occult groups. Is it possible the police knew more about the case than they were telling the private investigators? Shortly thereafter, a MUFON meeting at the home of Mufon’s State Director, Lou Masonic, was attended by two FBI agents, Don Fleckinger and Rick Elliot. Don Fleckinger gave MUFON a “word to the wise” and suggested that MUFON stop investigating UFOs as MUFON could be held responsible for generating fear if someone happened to shoot someone thinking they were an alien. They indicated that gun sales were increasing dramatically in Minnesota and Nationwide since UFO reports started increasing. Thankfully MUFON and its investigators, including Ray, were not scared off and continued to talk about and investigate UFO sightings.
Minnesota MUFON recognizes the contributions Ray has made during his lifetime to the Masons, the Shriners, and MUFON. With MUFON, Ray has been a committed leader in the advancement of UFO understanding and knowledge. MUFON appreciates that such an outstanding individual has dedicated so much of his life to the benefit of mankind and has been a great researcher and leader in the Mutual UFO Network organization and in the field of ufology!