Dr. Raymond Irving Bashford, Jr. , age 90, passed away on January 10, 2013, surrounded by the love of many. Ray was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Raymond Sr. and Nellie Mattison Bashford. The youngest of 4 children, "Junior", and his siblings spent their childhood growing up in Coral Gables, Florida, as well as summers on the family island in Canada.
He graduated as Valedictorian from Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, PA , class of 1939, where he also was a member of the swim team and played cornet in the band. He graduated cum laude with his B. S. degree from Syracuse University in 1943 and earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Syracuse University in 1950. During World War II, Ray proudly served as an officer in the 76th Division of the U.S. Army Infantry which fought at the Battle of the Bulge and crossed the Sauer River on Feb. 7th, 1945, ending the Nazi oppression of Luxembourg.
In 1943, he married Alice Jean Brush and together they shared love for a lifetime. He was devoted to his family and he and Alice made a loving home for their two daughters, Carol and Cindy. In loyally providing for his family, diligence and hard work were important to Ray and in his professional life he worked for E.I. DuPont de Nemours as a chemist and later for Penford Products Co. in technical service to the pulp and paper industry. Following his retirement, he went to work for Fisher International as a consultant. He enjoyed his tenure at Fisher where he continued learning and using new technologies and what started as a temporary job lasted over 22 years. For 50 years, Ray and Alice worshipped at First United Methodist Church of Stamford, where he served as an usher.
Ray had a love for life that could be found in everything he did and in the way he did it. His love of the outdoors and gardening can be found in the tapestry of trees he planted that will provide shade in the summer and perches for snowflakes in the winter for decades to come. His fondness for woodworking is evident in the many treasures he crafted by hand. He could not resist the meticulous challenge of a jigsaw puzzle nor the allure of a great novel. His dedication as an avid mall-walker could be something to emulate. His ongoing thirst for knowledge was never satiated. Beautiful music, especially classical, was one of the finer things to be enjoyed. Oh, and he loved plaid, especially red plaid!
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Cynthia Bashford Davis and his brother and two sisters. Those who will remember him with love include his wife, Alice Bashford; daughter, Carol Bashford Douglass; grandchildren: Peter Douglass, Andrew, Timothy, Christopher, Gwendolyn and Ellen Davis; son-in-law James Davis; treasured family friend, Jenny Colley; nieces, nephews and friends. In all the circles of his life, Ray was respected, admired and beloved.
A memorial service celebrating his life will take place on Saturday, January 26th at 11:00 am at the First United Methodist Church in Stamford. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Raymond Bashford may be made to First United Methodist Church, 42 Cross Road, Stamford, CT or to Stamford Hospital Foundation; 1351 Washington Blvd; Suite 202; Stamford, CT 06902
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