Raymond Maldoon

Raymond Farrell Maldoon, 100, of Arizona, died October 23, 2022. A mass of Christian burial will be held at 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 13, at at St. Gregory's Catholic Church. Burial will follow at St. Gregory's Catholic Cemetery, with military honors. Ray was born May 21, 1922, in Marysville, KS, to Roy and Marguerite Maldoon. He attended St. Gregory's Roman Catholic Elementary School and Marysville High School. He then went on To Kansas State University, but his college education was interrupted by the start of World War II. Ray 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, KY, 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 Germany army, he received 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 adviser 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 settle in Ahwatukee, AZ. Ray took early retirement and devoted his time to many charitable endeavors. He and his first wife, Dorothy, were national chair couple for Christian Family Movement, and 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 in the community. 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. Preceding him in death are his parents, Roy and Marguerite; infant brother, Roy; and sisters, Jeanette and Janice. Survivors include his nieces, Susie, Nancy, Carol and Lori; nephew, John; grandchildren, Bria and Carson; sisters-in-law, Susie Krepel and Patsy Graves; and by his companion, Pat Dellisanti. A memorial fund has been established and will be designated later. Contributions may be sent in care of Kinsley Mortuary. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Raymond Maldoon, please visit our flower store.