WALES, Maine - Raymond Long of Wales, Maine, died June 1, 2010, surrounded by his loving family.
Born in Williamsport, Md., to Brown C. and Reba Long, he graduated from Bridgewater College and received his music degree at Peabody Conservatory.
Raymond worked as a soloist and taught vocal music at Fort Lee High School in New Jersey for 25 years. He also served as choir director at the Bergenfield Presbyterian Church. He continued directing church choirs after his retirement to Maine.
Throughout retirement, Raymond served. He worked for years volunteering for Meals on Wheels, as well as for peace and Democratic organizations. He helped wherever help was needed, and donated generously to peace, political and environmental organizations.
His first passion was music. He took his high school choral groups to Europe three times. He was also proud of the homes he built, of his "farm," his tractors, fruit orchard, vineyard and, of course, his family.
Raymond is predeceased by his sister, Ruth Boppe, and his brother, Omer.
He is survived by his loving wife, Rowena, his sons, Jim and Eugene, his daughter, Cynthia Volin, and six grandsons. He is also survived by his Maryland siblings, Blanche Litton of Boonsboro and Lawrence of Williamsport, and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, please consider "fighting hate, teaching tolerance and seeking justice," by giving to the Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery AL 36104.
Frank Raimondo of Tenafly, formerly of Fort Lee and recently of Newton passed away on December 7, 2011 at Villa Marie Claire in Saddle River after a brief illness. Mr. Raimondo was born in Cliffside Park and lived his entire life in East Bergen County. Married for 33 years to Patricia Grover Raimondo, with whom he had one son, Bradley of New York City.
Also the father of four children from his previous marriage to Nanette Raimondo: Lynette (deceased), Lee of Whitefish, MT, Jillian of Palisades Park, Tim of Fort Lee and five grandchildren: Dr. Kamakshi Zeidler of Los Altos, CA, Emmanuel Raimondo of College Station, TX, Clare Raimondo of San Francisco, CA, Chandrika Duran of Paris, France and Michael Stimson of Verona, NJ as well as one great-granddaughter, Kaiya Pino of Paris.
Mr. Raimondo was a graduate of Fort Lee High School where he was a member of the 1947 State Champion basketball team. He went on to graduate from Columbia College and Columbia Teachers College.
He was employed by the Fort Lee Board of Education for 25 years, first as a teacher and coach of basketball and football. In 1958, when Mr. Raimondo was 28 years old, he was named Principal of the newly opened Fort Lee Middle School, and later served as district-wide Curriculum Coordinator and Assistant Superintendent.
After retirement from public education in 1978, Mr. Raimondo joined his younger brother, Chick, in the firm of C. Raimondo & Sons Construction, founded by their father Carmelo in 1923. He served as Senior Vice President for Administration and Marketing for 25 years. After retiring from the family business, he joined his son Tim and grandson Michael at Sonrize Developers, where he was engaged until the time of his passing.
Mr. Raimondo was very active in civic affairs throughout his life. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Bergen Community College for 12 years, 6 of them as Chairman. He also sat on the Board of Commissioners at the Bergen County Utilities Authority and the Board of Trustees of the Bergen 200 Club and was a co-founder of the Fort Lee Youth Center. He received numerous honors recognizing his civic activities—among them: UNICO New Jersey Man of the Year, Spectrum for Living Honoree, Bergen Community College Award of Merit for Community Leadership and induction into the Fort Lee High School Hall of Fame. In 1999 he was honored, along with his brother Chick and their spouses, children and grandchildren as the Fort Lee Chamber of Commerce Family of the Year. He served on the scholarship committees of the APA foundation, Bergen 200 Club and the Fred Witte Scholarship Fund.
Mr. Raimondo's core values were Love of Family and Service to Others.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the newly established Frank Raimondo Memorial Scholarship Fund, PO Box 1895, Fort Lee, NJ 07024.
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