Raymond darling, I lost you earlier this year due to a very powerful chemo treatment that couldn’t help you. It stopped your heart and filled it with more cancer on Sept. 17. That night we all prayed and comforted you and you survived.
You have worked so hard since that night trying to combat this disease that was killing your body, you made three more lengthy hospital stays that stopped you from being able to eat for most of this time, you continued with more chemo because you wanted to beat this thing, and finally succumbed on Dec. 4.
Your three children, Lisa, Raymond and Heather, your (second mother), Beverly, Rev. Deborah and myself held you tenderly through the anguish as you fought so hard to not let go. While your body was so weak, your heart was still so strong.
Baby, you were a gentle, wonderful man, so passionate about your family, you loved life and your beautiful neighbors, and they loved their big ole teddy bear right back. Your love of the holidays that would bring your family together was so special to us, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, because they always included a big family dinner. The joy on your face as you enjoyed life with your four grandbabies, and how you loved being able to take care of so many other children with gifts at Christmas time. We spent many years buying extra school boxes of school supplies to give to the schools for those children who might not have it. You always took the time to buy a bag full of groceries rather than just a can for the shelters, and cases of food for the animal shelters. You took in injured animals and helped them to heal so many times over the years, then went out of your way to find a place safe to set them free. Honey, the 38 years we spent together while you were here on this Earth were the most precious years of my life, and now I wait as my heart breaks to be together with you once again.
Raymond succumbed to esophageal cancer six months after being diagnosed, he left behind: his wife Diana; daughter, Lisa and her husband, Dale Metcalf; their four grandchildren, Dale, Charles, Marie and George; his only son, Raymond, III; his youngest daughter, Heather; a neighbor, Beverly Libby who he made such a connection with and who treated him as her son; three sisters, Patty, Judy and Heidi; and an estranged brother, Rob.
A graveside service will be held on 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2016, at Brooklawn Memorial Park, 2002 Congress St., Portland. Services are under the care of Cote Funeral Home, 87 James St. ,Saco
Please visit cotefuneralhome.com to view Raymond’s online tribute page and to sign his guestbook.
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