MALDOON, RAYMOND FARRELL

Raymond Farrell Maldoon  May 21, 1922 – October 23, 2022.

Ray was born in Marysville, Kansas to Roy and Marguerite Maldoon. He attended Saint Gregory’s Roman Catholic elementary school and Marysville high school. He attended Kansas State University but his college education was interrupted by the start of World War II. He served from June 1943 to August 1946. He completed Officers Training as 2nd Lieutenant. His final commission was as Captain. Ray joined the 75th infantry division in camp Breckenridge Kentucky before shipping out for Europe in October 1944. He served in the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and at the battle of the bulge in Germany. Because of his service with the French army in liberating Alsace Lorraine from the German army, he was awarded the Croix de Guerre for gallantry in battle.

After Ray‘s parents died, he found a shoebox in the family home filled with his wartime letters, letters that shielded his family from what he was experiencing. It prompted him to write and self-publish a book entitled “Dear Folks: The Letters I Wrote Home – PS: What I Left Out”. It was a remarkable chronicle of his war experiences and has become a family treasure. Ray’s long business career was spent as a patent searcher and patent advisor with Standard Oil of Indiana.

Ray met his first wife, Dorothy (Klepach) while performing with Standard Oil’s men’s chorus. They had a long, happy marriage until Dorothy‘s death. Ray married his second wife, Drusilla Graves – A childhood friend, and they settled in Ahwatukee, Arizona.

Ray took early retirement and devoted his time in many charitable endeavors. He and his first wife Dorothy, were national chair couple for Christian Family Movement, an international organization dedicated to promoting Christian values in family living. They traveled to CFM conferences in many countries. Ray was also very active in the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, devoting many hours delivering food and other items to needy families.

After Drusilla died, Ray moved to the Beatitudes retirement community in 2009 where he met Pat, who became his loving companion for nine years.  Ray was very involved in the Beatitudes community, was instrumental in forming the “Writers Group” and was editor for 10 years of the “Roadrunner Extra” a publication featuring the stories of residents  of the community.

Ray was predeceased by his parents Roy and Marguerite, infant brother Roy, and sisters Jeanette and Janice.  He is survived by his nieces Jeanne, Nancy, Carol, Susie, Lori, nephew John, grandchildren Bria and Carson, sisters-in-aw Susie Krepel and Patsy Graves and by his companion, Pat Dellisanti.

Ray was the consummate gentleman, a kind, loving and generous soul, and a storyteller extraordinaire. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

A celebration of life will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, December 9, 2022 at the Beatitudes Campus, 1610 W. Glendale Ave.  Ray will be put to rest beside Drusilla in the Maldoon family plot, Saint Gregory cemetery, Marysville, Kansas, sometime next spring.

In lieu of flowers, the family is suggesting a donation to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul or to a charity of choice.