Mr. Raymond Ramsay

Raymond Ramsay, age 83, of Silver Spring, Maryland died peacefully with family at his side on October 24, 2014. Raymond was born July 1, 1931 in Billingham, County Durham, England to Sarah Anne and Hugh Ramsay. The departed was married for 53 years to his beloved wife Virginia Agnes of Detroit, Michigan; who passed September 3, 2012. Raymond is survived by his brother, Alan Ramsay, who resides in Horsham, West Sussex, England and his son, Philip Hugh Ramsay, and daughter, Yvonne Denise Shea, her husband David, and their sons David William and Kyle Ramsay Shea. During Raymond s childhood, he experienced hazardous aerial bombing attacks over his homeland together with other World War II deprivations, before subsequently receiving technical education and apprenticeship training at Furness Shipbuilding Company as a Naval Architect. Prior to moving to Quebec, Canada, he served as a sergeant-instructor with the British Royal Army Educational Corps in India, Singapore and Ceylon; ultimately moving to the United States of America where he became a naturalized citizen and earned a post-graduate degree from the George Washington University. During his professional career he engaged in the design and construction of nuclear submarines, deep-diving submersibles, and special mission ships within the private and naval business sectors. Raymond retired from the U.S. Navy Department as Director-Office of Maritime Affairs, after serving in the Congressional Legislative Fellow Program providing naval expertise to the Chairman-House Seapower Subcommittee. During his retirement, in addition to his autobiography, He Who Dares Wins, he authored, For Whom the Bells Toll: The Unexplained Losses of S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, M.V. Derbyshire, and Other Vessels of the Bulk-Cargo Silent Service conveys and S. S. Edmund Fitzgerald: Requiem for the Toledo Express, in which he shared his deep respect and concern for the mariners who serve around the world.

A private family burial November 7, 2014 will take place at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Silver Spring, Maryland.