Some say the measure of a person’s life is what he leaves behind. Raymond Roy’s life was his legacy. He lived a life of generosity, kindness, following his dreams, loving family and friends, sharing his earthy sense of humor, respecting people from all parts of the world, being equally passionate about learning by doing and studying, and farming organically. He had a soft spot for the “underdog,” and a deep and wide curiosity about life and its meaning. He also leaves behind a large family: his son, (Michael), daughter-in-law, (Mina), grandchildren, (Parker, Forrest and Brooke); his daughter, (Donna), son-in-law, (Joel), grandson, (Kagan), granddaughterin-law, (Danielle), and great grandsons (Eli and Sebastian); granddaughter, (Hannah), grandson-inlaw, (Adam), and great granddaughter, (Roan); his brother, (Don), and sister-in-law, (Arlene); his sister, (Virginia); and 24 living great nieces and nephews. He is pre-deceased by his former wife, (Ruth), with whom he was married for 25 years. He also has many friends, unnamed here, who were family to him. He had strong opinions and inspired love and affection, not only in family but in others. It is also impossible to count the number of friends, colleagues, workers, partners, and others he mentored, helped or joined in interesting (and occasionally dangerous) ventures of all sorts in Maine and Alaska. He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1925. His mother was Mary Grenier; his father, Abraham Roy. He was the sixth son in the family, and had two sisters and six brothers. At ten years old in the middle of the Depression when his father had lost everything, Raymond and his family moved to Limerick, Maine. Here he developed his love of nature and rural life. As an adult, he was proud to have been a help to his family through selling pelts of animals he trapped, as well as working for a neighboring farmer. After his older brothers had all enlisted, he got his mother’s permission and joined the Navy at 16, completing two years of Navy trainings to be a medic able to operate independently in the field. In 1945, attached to the Marines (Second Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division) he landed in Okinawa. There he operated on and cared for mostly Okinawan civilians injured by the war. Later (1945-6) stationed in China, he delivered babies of mixed Chinese/American parentage. Upon returning to the states, he married Ruth Griffin from Medford, Massachusetts. In 1952 they had their first child (Donna) while in Kittery, Maine, where he was stationed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. There he managed the physical therapy clinic for returning soldiers and assisted in surgeries. During this time he was invited to be part of the first Nurse Practitioner cohort in the country, but declined, in order to return to his Maine farm and the outdoor life he missed. He did petition Sargent Shriver in support of this new PAinitiative, however, and was proud to have had some part in its development. He spent the next few decades in Parsonsfield, Maine, as a York County Deputy Sheriff for 25 years, a farmer humanely raising chickens for commercial sale and other domestic animals and organic vegetables for family use. Raymond was an environmentalist in words and deeds. He often expressed his conviction that “There’s no improving on the natural world.” And, with a slight grin, he would also note, ”God is a woman.” During this period he also attended law
school and was a member of the local Lion’s Club, and served as medic in the Poland Springs Job Corps. He became a parent of a second child, Michael, in 1959. As a parent, he supported his son in 4H ventures and learning to hunt and fish, and encouraged his capacity as a student. He sang to his daughter in French, drove her to dance lessons--and waited with all of the mothers for her to be done--and consistently encouraged her educational journey, as well. He was always proud of his children. After “retiring” from the Sheriff’s Department in his late 50’s, he decided to move to Alaska. There he worked as a corrections officer in the Alaska Department of Corrections outside of Wasilla, Alaska. In Alaska he trapped, hunted, fished, and mined for gold. He made friends, built at least one house, and lived one winter in an Airstream trailer set within a large greenhouse he built. While there he also regularly drove or flew to visit his children’s families in Oregon, always helping build or garden. Upon flipping his large canoe on a wild Alaska river while on a solo hunt for “the biggest moose” he had ever seen, he decided at about 74 years old it was time to return to Maine. He moved back to Parsonsfield, up the road from where he had lived before Alaska, and managed two houses and a large property for an old friend, Jose Fenderson. He organically farmed acres of land for years, selling at Portland farmer’s markets, and giving away tons of produce to friends and family. Many helped him in and benefited from this venture. When Jose moved back to the farm, Raymond took care of him until he died. He continued to garden and host his son and daughter and their families and many friends on the farm over the years. In 2017 his granddaughter (Hannah) and grandsonin-law-to-be (Adam) returned from doing primate conservation work in Africa to get married on his farm and live in Maine. As his own needs grew, they stayed on the farm and helped take care of him. Ray deeply appreciated all his caregivers: Hannah and Adam, who continued to be attentive “boots on the ground” presences for him; Carla who cooked tasty organic meals for him; Belinda who kept his house neat and clean; Peggy, who cared for him with good humor and skill; and Angela, who provided years of attentive care, deep understanding and rich conversation. Raymond’s children and most grandchildren live on the west coast. His granddaughter (Brooke) and grandson (Forrest) each loved spending solo time on the farm with “Grampie.” His grandson (Kagan) and family prioritized time with him as well, even when it meant journeying across country with very small great grandchildren multiple times. Raymond died on November 15, 2019, at the age of 94, in his home, with his daughter, son-in-law and primary caregiver, Angela, beside him. As always, he faced his last chapter with courage and awareness of what he wanted--to die at home in as natural a way as possible. He now hopefully has the answer to one of his favorite questions: What does it all mean? Relatives and friends gathered in his home the next day to pay their final respects and share tears and stories. Amemorial with family and friends will be held in the summer of 2020 on the farm in Parsonsfield. Arrangements by Poitras, Neal & York Funeral Home. Online condolence messages can be submitted at the Funeral Home website, www.mainefuneral.com