Rita Raymond

Loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, cherished friend

Rita Raymond of Union, New Jersey passed peacefully at home with her loving family by her side on Sunday, September 18, 2011. Born on Feb, 7, 1940 in Taylor Pa to the late Vincent and Mary Barycki, where she grew up with her sister Diane Symuleski on Oak St. Rita graduated from Taylor High School in 1957 and relocated to Union New Jersey when she married her devoted husband, John Frank Raymond on June 20th, 1959. They recently celebrated 52 years of marriage.

Rita worked for Bell Telephone before starting a family. A devoted and caring mother, she raised three children: John, Jeff and Arlene. When her children were growing up, Rita was very active in their activities including PTA, Boy Scouts, Little league, and Marching Band. Additionally, she worked as a Teacher's Assistant at Connecticut Farms Nursery School, and as the children grew she transitioned to a career at International Paint/ Akzo Nobel. A successful and savvy business woman, Rita began at International Paint/Akzo Nobel as an accounts payable clerk and upon retirement was the Purchasing Manager. Her career spanned over 25 years, where she formed many lasting friendships within her work community.

Rita had a great love for poodles and parakeets. She cared for four dogs, Pierre, Sparky, Brandy and Skippy.

Rita and her husband John enjoyed travel. Favorite destinations were Alaska and Hawaii, with her favorite family destination, Cancun Mexico.

Rita was the quintessential, devoted Grandma nurturing four grandchildren: Christopher, Juliana, Olivia, and Andrew.

Rita is survived by her Husband John F. Raymond, Sister Diane Symuleski, Children John, Jeff and Arlene, Daughter-in-law Eva, Grandchildren Christopher, Juliana, Olivia and Andrew, Godsons Peter Symuleski and Jason Struble, several nieces and nephews, and her dog Skippy.

Funeral from McCracken Funeral Home (www.mccrackenfuneralhome.com), 1500 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ on Friday, September 23rd at 10:15AM. A Funeral Liturgy will be held at St. Theresa’s Church, 541 Washington Avenue, Kenilworth, NJ at 11:15AM. A Committal Service will follow at Hollywood Memorial Park, Union, NJ. Relatives and Friends are kindly invited to the viewing at the Funeral Home on Thursday, September 22nd from 1-3PM and 6-8PM.

In Lieu of Flowers, please make a donation in Memory of Rita Raymond to: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and/or Boys Town: 200 Flanagan Boulevard PO Box 6000, Boys Town, NE 68010 http://www.boystown.org/

Contributions will be gratefully accepted in memory of Rita Raymond to benefit the Pancreatic Research Fund and Surgical Oncology Program Fund at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

There are several ways to give:

1) To donate using a credit card, please call Jill Zatorski at (646) 227-2095

2) Checks, made payable to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, should be mailed to:

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Attn: Ms. Jill Zatorski

633 Third Avenue, 28th Fl

New York, NY 10017

3) To make your gift online, please visit giving.mskcc.org, click ‘Donate Now’ in the upper right-

hand corner of the page, and then select ‘Make a Gift Online.’ (Please be sure to indicate that this is a memorial gift and specify Rita’s name.)