Raymond P. Greene

Raymond Paul Greene born on May 6th 1925, was the son of Catherine and James Greene of Walpole Mass. Ray was a graduate of St. Mary’s school. He attended New Britain High School, but dropped out to join the service in February of 1943. He received his honorary diploma in 2001. Ray joined the United States Navy in 1943. He was a Naval Air Gunner and Dive Bomber, 3rd Class Petty Officer in WWII. Ray was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross twice for valor during the war. He also received three air medals and battle stars for his service in the “Pacific Theater,” flying off of the CV20 class carrier U.S.S. Bennington of which he was a “Plank Holder.” His Naval service included flying in 23 combat missions including several over Tokyo, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

Ray met Margaret Corr, the love of his life, at a square dance in Kensington Ct. where she proclaimed “ I’m gonna dance with that bow- legged sailor before the night is done.” Ray and Mickey were married on July 20th 1946 and raised 7 children. Raymond and Mickey were founding members of St. Jerome parish in New Britain, where he was a life member of the Holy Name Society. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus. Ray Greene was a life member and past Historian of the New Britain CT Ancient Order of Hibernians. He has been very active in Irish affairs for most of his life. He is a long time member and past Chairman of the Hartford CT unit of Irish Northern Aid, a life member of the Irish American Home Society, and a long time member of Daltai na Gaeilge, an organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Irish language, where he taught beginner classes in the Irish language. Ray also taught Irish out of his home since 1995. He received his teaching “fainne”, at Dun Na nGall in Gleann Cholm Cille, Ireland. During the anniversary year of the Gorta Mor, he gave many lectures on the so called “famine” and was very proud of his Irish heritage. Ray was a dual citizen of both the United States and Ireland.

In his retirement he was an active Seanchai or Story Teller, specializing in song and story in both English and Irish. Ray was dedicated to sharing stories of the Irish culture with the students of Frank J. DiLoreto School and the HALS Academy. He enjoyed sharing his stories with the children of New Britain and was pleased by their captivated response. He also told stories at the New Britain Public Library and the AOH of New Britain and was an active member of the Hither and Yon story telling group. He has been to Ireland 5 times including a fact-finding trip to Northern Ireland at the height of “The Troubles” in the mid-eighties. This past March, Ray was honored to be the New Britain contingent’s “Town Marshal” for the annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Hartford. CT where he had marched with the Irish Northern Aid Society since the late 1970’s and was a lifetime member of the Irish American Home Society in Glastonbury CT. Ray was also involved in the U.S.S. Bennington Reunion Group and went to Vermont to march in the Bennington Day Parade for many years.

A man of many careers, Ray was a graduate of Vesper George School of Art in Cambridge Ma, has a B.S. and an M.S. in English and Art from Central CT State University and holds a C.A.S. in Humanities from Wesleyan University. Ray was a commercial artist, an Art Director at Middletown High School, A journeyman Tool & Diemaker at Bijon Manufacturing, and an Assistant Foreman at the Stanley Works. In 1973 Ray was a Professor Emeritus at The University of Maryland. He taught English at Farmington High School, and Art for 23 years at Middletown High School. Ray also taught Art, Commercial Design, and Graphics at Central CT State University for 21 years.

This past year the City of New Britain honored his service to our country by naming him the Grand Marshall of the Memorial Day Parade. He was also very instrumental in the restoration of the Campbell Square WWII Veterans Memorial. The Memorial was rededicated on November 7th 2014 by Mayor Erin Stewart. Ray was an avid supporter of the Iwo Jima War memorial, run by Gary and Maryanne Roy. He often spoke, and sang The National Anthem at their events.

Ray was an avid runner who ran 24 marathons in his lifetime. He ran the Newport Marathon, Boston Marathon and the Dartmouth Marathon as well as many local road races with the Hartford Track Club. This year would have marked a new age category for the Manchester Road Race which he ran for 38 years. He was looking forward to running in the 90 year old age group, with his longtime friend, Bill Tribou.

Ray is survived by his sister Phyllis Russell of Bellingham MA and his brother-in-law Frederick Peterson of Kensington CT, and sister-in-law Florence Corr of New Britain CT. He is also survived by his children Maire Greene and her husband Raymond Brayne, James W. Greene, and wife Linda, Maggie Greene and husband Fred Louis, Marthe Reighard wife of the late Kevin Greene, Jerome M. Greene and his wife Heidi Weeks Crocker, Deirdre and her husband Gregory Falla, and honorary son, Fernando Santos, of Bronx New York, and his life long friend Rosario Lombardo and his Ndibe family. Raymond was predeceased by his beloved wife of 66 years and 3 days, Margaret “Mickey” Greene, his brothers James and William and his sisters Virginia, Patsy, and Priscilla. He is also predeceased by his sons Raymond P. Greene Jr. of Bismarck, ND and Kevin B. Greene of Cromwell CT. Raymond was the proud grandfather of 18 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

In Lieu of flowers please consider donations to the Hartford Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

Calling hours and service will be held on Monday, April 27, 2015 from 4:00-8:00 pm at the New Britain Memorial Sagarino Funeral home at 444 Farmington Avenue, New Britain. Directions: Exit 37 off I-84 take a right at the exit,Funeral home is 1 ½ miles on your right.

Funeral services will be on Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 9:00 AM at the funeral home, followed by a mass of funeral liturgy at 10:00 AM at St. Jerome Church, Slater Rd. New Britain. Burial with military honors will be on St. Mary Cemetery, New Britain.

To share a memory with the family, please go to www.newbritainsagarino.com