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Ila Ray Hadley and Ray Hadley

1961 U.S. pairs silver medalists

Ila Ray Hadley, 18, and Ray Hadley, Jr., 17, were the children of Ray and Bette Hadley. "Ray" was the maiden name of their paternal grandmother. Their parents met through roller skating in Eugene, Ore., and Ray Hadley Sr. taught his children both roller and ice skating. After the family moved to Seattle in 1951, the parents divorced, and Ray Hadley Sr. was awarded custody. Ila Ray was 11 and Ray Hadley Jr. was 10 when their father married Linda Hart in 1954. Hart was their primary coach, teaching them in both pairs and singles. They trained at the Seattle Civic Arena, the Tacoma rink, the Ballard rink, the Yakima rink and, in time, the Hadley & Hart Ice Studio in 1960. On their second trip to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the Hadleys won the 1957 U.S. junior pairs title in Berkeley, Calif. They went to Paris as the 1958 U.S. World Team alternates and performed exhibitions. After placing fourth in senior pairs in 1958 and 1959, they won the bronze medal at the 1960 U.S. Championships and earned a berth on the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team. In 1961, they placed second in senior pairs at the U.S. Championships and fourth at the North American Championships. The Hadleys almost didn't travel to Philadelphia and Prague because of financial issues, but contributions from the Seattle skating community and a loan from the Seattle Skating Club allowed the family to fly to the 1961 World Figure Skating Championships.

Bio written by Patricia Shelley Bushman, author of Indelible Tracings.