Son, brother, husband, father and GP to his two grandsons, Dixon “Dick” Raymond died at age 94 on December 4, 2020 in the Inn at Freedom Village. Born in Buffalo, NY, he grew up on a farm near Springville, NY. Weary of taking care of the chickens he joined the Canadian Army’s Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa at age 15 and spent more than four years in His Majesty’s service. The regiment landed on Juno Beach, Normandy on June 7, 1944. It was also involved in the liberation of the Netherlands during WWII. Dick finished high school in the United States and went on to graduate from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania. His love of history inspired him to write a family history and a personal memoir of his wartime experiences both of which his family is lucky to have.
Dick married Barbara Slaybaugh on September 7, 1957 in Ardsley, NY. They lived in Hartsdale, NY until May 1962 when they moved to Ridgewood, NJ where they raised three daughters. He worked in advertising sales for scientific research magazines. Dick perfected the art of listening to his clients and in the words of one of his long time business associates “spent hours strategizing how to serve them better”. He took special pride in mentoring a young associate who quickly became a dear friend. When not travelling the East Coast his position gave him the opportunity to work from home long before it was the norm. Dick retired from Reed Elsevier in 1993.
He enjoyed mid-day walks to the Post Office and cooking for his family nightly. On weekends he often walked to a local bakery to pick-up a coffee-cake for Sunday breakfast. Dick loved cooking and appreciated good food. Thanksgivings were a favorite Raymond/Slaybaugh holiday that brought generations together and Dick in full apron to the kitchen. During their 63 year marriage there were trips to The Poconos, Sanibel Island, Chicago, Bermuda, New York City, London and Normandy. The family favorite was to Silver Bay on Lake George, NY each summer.
Barbara and Dick retired to Fearrington Village North Carolina in 1994. Dick was an avid reader of history and current events. He enjoyed taking classes at UNC, walking in the mild climate of the south and finding a host of new friends. In 2014 they relocated to Freedom Village in Holland, Michigan to be closer to family. Dick to continued to walk about the surrounding area and enjoy delicious food, now in downtown Holland, especially sushi with his grandson, Sam. There were visits to Skiles for pizza and to Crane’s for apple pie with son-in-law, Larry.
Dixon is survived by his wife Barbara, daughters Susan of Brooklyn, NY; Lyn Raymond and Larry Helder of Holland, MI and Jane and Kevin Gailey of Carmel, IN; grandsons Sam and Max Gailey. Dick is predeceased by his brothers John and Roger. He also leaves behind a host of friends and acquaintances who will miss Dick’s love of conversation and learning. People who knew him were familiar with a key phrase heard throughout his life, “tell me a story.” In his final hours of life when communication was becoming more difficult his daughter, Susan, read him a story about a Japanese artist.
His family is grateful for the thoughtful and compassionate care provided by the staff of Freedom Village and Kindred Hospice. No memorial service is planned. Dick loved being a grandfather most of all. Donations can be made to the following organizations: Midwest Academy of Carmel, Indiana, a school for children with learning differences where his grandson, Max attends https://www.mymwa.org/about-us/who-we-are/
and Wounded Warriors of Canada https://woundedwarriors.ca/donate/ . The family is being served by Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home. To leave a condolence and more information, please visit www.langelandsterenberg.com.
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