Walter Raymond Page

Walter Raymond Page, husband of 44 years to Kathleen Page, father to Michael, Caitlin, and Brendan Page, and sibling to 8 brothers and 2 sisters, passed away holding the hands of loved ones on the evening of Monday, December 12.

His seventy-six years of life are marked by myriad quiet acts of generosity, an unforgettable love for his family, and, after decades of committed workshopping, a (somewhat) reliable golf swing.

Raymond is known among friends and family for his wit and humor. It was a trait less appreciated by the Catholic high schools he sampled while growing up in the Washington, D.C. area. He graduated from Archbishop Carroll High School. He then went on to Shenandoah University and James Madison University in Virginia, where he collected lifelong friends and graduated in a timelier fashion.

Raymond grew up in a large Irish, Catholic family. In addition to his father Bill, who founded the first automobile dealership in Falls Church in 1950, Raymond was looked after in his early years by a matriarchy of strong women—his tireless mother Mary, his maternal grandmother Mary Connor Cumberland (who the children called “Mame”), and his great aunt Katharine, or “Kar,” (who was also the chief of the switchboard operators at the Pentagon). The Page children loved spending the weekends with “Mame” and “Kar” and it is reported that Raymond earned the unofficial designation as “their favorite” among the children at the time. Raymond’s interpersonal skills were also honed during multiple childhood relocations across the Washington area to keep everyone under a single roof.

Raymond eventually returned to Northern Virginia as a young adult, where he resided the rest of his life. He began working at Bill Page Toyota in Falls Church, Virginia in May 1969, eventually becoming president of the dealership during his 53 years of work there. On a spring day in 1975, he sold a car to a woman named Kathleen, who had recently moved from her native Euclid, Ohio. It was the most important sale of his life. They married in 1978.

Raymond was a deeply caring husband and father. Like all good dads, his interests and hobbies widened to cater to those of his children. Some came naturally (Catholic youth basketball coach; discerning craft beer drinker; enthusiastic parent at Special Olympics events). Others revealed the depth of his commitment (for example, building a conversational fluency in Middle East politics).

Raymond was known by many for his generosity with his time and resources. He supported friends, family, and even strangers in times of need, and a number of his relationships with friends and colleagues stretched over decades. He was honored as an Affiliate of the Daughters of Charity, a Catholic order devoted to the care of those most in need, in recognition of his support. His Aunt Frances Cumberland was a Daughter of Charity. He also donated often to organizations serving people with intellectual disabilities.

Raymond is survived by his wife Kathleen, his children Michael, Caitlin, and his siblings William, John Robert, Joseph, James, Kenneth, Lawrence, Katharine, and Margaret. He is predeceased by his mother Mary Katharine, his father William, and his brothers George Francis (Frank) and Allan.

A wake will be held on Sunday, December 18 from 2:00-5:30 pm at Murphy’s Funeral Home, 1102 W. Broad Street, Falls Church, VA. A Funeral Mass will be offered Monday, December 19 at 11:00 am at St. Luke's Catholic Church, 7001 Georgetown Pike, McLean, Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Arc of Northern Virginia or the Daughters of Charity.

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