Raymond C. Jewett

Raymond C. Jewett Sergeant First Class Raymond C. Jewett, USA (Ret.) of Annapolis, MD passed away on May 9, 2015, after nearly five years of convalescence following a near fatal stroke. He was 81, born on October 23, 1933, in Baltimore, MD, the son of Chief Warrant Officer, CWO-4 Raymond F. Jewett and Helen V. (nee Baker) Jewett of Baltimore. As a youth he also resided in Delaware and Florida during WWII, later accompanying his parents to Germany where he acquired his passion for photography. Joining the US Army in 1953, he continued to develop his aptitude as a photographer, drawing tours in Japan and Germany, assigned to the Army Security Agency. SFC Jewett retired as a twenty-two year veteran, having served two tours in Viet Nam as a Combat Photographer and Information Specialist, receiving numerous military decorations including three Bronze Stars for Valor, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medals, Army Commendation Medals, Purple Heart, Vietnam Service Medal and other awards. During his initial Vietnam tour in 1963, he suffered a near fatal neck wound, inflicted by an enemy bullet while documenting a major firefight to overtake a heavily defended North Vietnamese held position. Eight months later, he was released from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and assigned to the General’s Staff at the Army War College in Carlisle, PA. At the completion of that assignment he returned to Vietnam as an Information Specialist to report on the war once again. He later returned to Maryland for assigned duties at the Pentagon and Ft Meyer, VA where he finally retired from the Army in 1975. In addition to covering combat activities, his photo-journalistic assignments included many, many senior military leaders and celebrities including General Omar Bradley, Charles A. Lindberg, Bob Hope, Raymond Burr and many others, accredited with hundreds of published photographs, articles and stories. Following his retirement from the Army, he worked for Westinghouse ILSD, first in their systems packaging department, then moving to their photo lab and finally as a Copy Photographer before retiring from this second major career. After Westinghouse, Jewett became very active in the community. He enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow veterans as a member of the American Legion, Legion of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans, Fleet Reserve Association and his Catholic brothers at the Knights of Columbus, Annapolis Council #1384. He was very active in these organizations having served various roles as a local historian, the always ready photographer, enthusiastic fundraiser and will long be remembered as a very realistic and good natured Santa Claus each Christmas at The Providence Center. Raymond Jewett was married to Inge (nee Greunner) Jewett, who passed away in 1977. He is survived by his loving wife of twenty-three years, Mary D (Smallman) Jewett of Annapolis, son Raymond K. Jewett of Melbourne, FL, daughter Mary Anne (Jewett) Ellison of Pasadena, MD, brother CAPT. Charles E. Jewett USN (Ret.) of Severna Park, MD, sister Lois Anne Sachs of New York, NY, two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by brother Robert B. Jewett and two grandchildren. The family will receive visitors wishing to pay their respects on Friday, May 15, 2015 from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the John M. Taylor Funeral Home, Inc., 147 Duke of Gloucester Street in Annapolis. A celebratory mass will be held at St. John Neuman Catholic Church, 620 N. Bestgate Rd. Annapolis, MD the following Monday, May 18 at 10:30 a.m. Internment with full military honors will be at Meadowridge Memorial Park, Elkridge, MD at 2:30 p.m. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to “The Wounded Warrior Project” at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org .