FALMOUTH - Alexander H. Raye, a centenarian of Falmouth, passed away peacefully on Nov. 8, 2018 at his home. Alex was born in Eastport, on Sept. 27, 1918, the son of Helen (Wadsworth) Raye and J. Wesley Raye and was the twin of John F. Raye. He grew up in Eastport with his parents and other siblings, Augusta Raye Bromley, George Raye, H. Wadsworth Raye, and Mary Helen Raye Hardie.
During his childhood, Alex and his siblings spent carefree summers at the family camp at Boyden Lake, in Perry, with many relatives and friends. Alex graduated from Shead Memorial High School in 1935 and the University of Maine, in Orono, in 1939, with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He was a member of the Honor Society Phi Kappa Phi. He went on to earn a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University, where he was a member of the Honor Society Tau Beta Pi.
Alex started his working career at Wright Aeronautical in Paterson, N.J., in 1940. He was a member of the Greatest Generation, called into the Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1941. He served as a bomb disposal officer in the South Pacific, Philippines and Japan. After discharge from the Army as a Captain, he went to work Elliott Corp., in Jeannette, Pa., where he met Jessie Campolongo. They married on May 13, 1950, in Greensburg, Pa. After a short time at Elliott, he returned to Curtiss-Wright, where he designed jet engines. In 1962, he moved to the Boeing Corp., Seattle. He spent the last years of his career as Vice President of Engineering at Brown Boveri, St. Cloud, Minn.
On his retirement, in 1983, Alex and Jessie moved to State College, Pa., where they lived until she passed away in 2011, after 61 years of loving marriage. They shared the interests of travel, skiing, Penn State football, and family activities with Jessie's extended family, as well as summer visits to Boyden Lake. He was proud of achieving his pilot's license after his retirement. He was well-read in history, especially the Civil War and World War II, and in finance. He had a keen memory.
He moved to Maine in 2011 to live with his niece, Susan Raye. He enjoyed his time back in Maine, becoming part of his neighborhood, in Falmouth. He spent many vacations with his nephew, Donald Raye and Don's wife, Verna, in Florida. He looked forward to summer holidays at the lake where Don and Verna, and Don's sister, Nancy Raye, have family camps.
Alex was predeceased by his siblings, and the nine siblings of his wife, Jessie. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Dorothy Campolongo, and four generations of nieces and nephews of the Raye and Campolongo families. Relatives and neighbors recently came together at his home for his 100th birthday celebration.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Church of the Good Shepherd, State College, Pa., at a later date. Burial will be at Centre County Memorial Park, State College. A Memorial Gathering will be held at Boyden Lake next summer.
The Raye family extends its thanks to Maine Health Care at Home, Comfort Keepers, Hospice of Southern Maine, and friends and neighbors for their skilled care and kind support.
Donations in Alex's memory may be made to:
Peavey Memorial Library
26 Water St.
Eastport, ME 04631
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