Ray Hester

{{Short description|American football player (1949–1977)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox gridiron football person

|name=Ray Hester

|image=

|birth_date={{birth date|1949|3|31}}

|birth_place=New Orleans, Louisiana

|death_date={{death date and age|1977|5|15|1949|3|31}}

|death_place=New Orleans, Louisiana

|Position=Linebacker

|high_school=Holy Cross (LA)

|College=Tulane

|DraftedYear=1971

|DraftedRound=

|Stats=y

|DatabaseFootball=

|PFR=HestRa20

|ProBowls=

|playing_years1=1971–1973

|playing_team1=New Orleans Saints

|playing_years2=1974

|playing_team2=The Hawaiians

}}

Ray Hester (March 31, 1949 – May 15, 1977) was a professional American football player who played linebacker for the New Orleans Saints from 1971 to 1973, and The Hawaiians of the WFL in 1974.[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HestRa20.htm Ray Hester]. Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 3, 2012.{{cite web|title=Ray Hester|url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/stats/p-hesteray001|publisher=Stats Crew|accessdate=2022-09-14}} He was diagnosed with leukemia in 1975. He died from leukemia at the age of 28.{{cite news|title=Ray Hester Succumbs|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|date=May 17, 1977|newspaper=The Sun|page=B-2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109564433/the-sun/}}