Ray Tye, Industry Leader And Major Philanthropist, Dies At 87

Peter Zwiebach
Posted: March 12, 2010

Ray Tye, Chairman Emeritus of United Liquors and one of Boston’s biggest philanthropists, died of cancer on March 10. He was 87.

Born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Tye attended what was then called Tufts College (now Tufts University), studying to be a social worker, when World War II intervened. He joined the army, serving as a first lieutenant in the military police and as an adjutant to General Patton. Tye was wounded during the war.

Soon after returning home, Tye joined United Liquors, which at the time was a small distributor, with some 30 employees. He rose from warehouse worker to salesman, sales manager and general sales manager before becoming president of the company in 1957. During his time at the helm, United became one of the U.S. market’s leading spirits and wine distributors, and it was long New England’s biggest middle tier player. Tye became Chairman Emeritus of United when it was acquired by Martignetti Companies in 2006.

Tye was well known in the Boston area for his work as a philanthopist. He was the face of the Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation, which funds medical care for those lacking financial resources, especially children. “Ray Tye was a great Bostonian and an even greater source of inspiration,’’ Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said in a statement. “He did so much for so many, always offering help to those that needed it the most. His legacy of helping children have a better life no matter what the circumstance will not be forgotten.”

Tye is survived by his wife, Eileen; sons James and Mark (his son, Michael, died in 2003 of multiple myeloma); daughters Carol Rose and Randy O’Brien; stepdaughter Lauren Cronin; and five grandchildren.

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