Raymond
Raymond W Hawes
d. April 30, 2015
Raymond Willis Hawes
On Thursday, April 30, 2015, Raymond passed away at his home in Delanson, NY, surrounded by his loving family after a more than two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Ray was 71 years old.
Ray married his best friend, Karen Ilena (Mudar), more than 43 years ago. Together they built a loving and happy home and raised two wonderful daughters—Ellen Jeanne and Jennifer Rae.
Ray was a graduate of Duanesburg Central Junior/Senior High School, and he went on to earn an associate’s degree in HVAC and Refrigeration Technology from Hudson Valley Community College.
After working for two construction companies in the piping and pipe insulation fields, Ray, an entrepreneur at heart, founded and operated Yukon Insulation Company, Inc., an open shop HVAC and plumbing piping contract insulator, which was in operation for 27 years. He also helped Karen found Klondike Insulation Material Sales Corporation, which was in operation for 21 years.
Ray was a caring, kind, generous man who was a born diplomat. He was involved with his community, serving on the Duanesburg Town Planning Board and devoting 25 years to the Duane Lions Club, where he held the positions of President, Zone Chairman, Deputy District Governor and District 20-Y2 Cabinet Secretary. Ray was on the Duanesburg School Board for 21 years, 18 of which he was President and chief negotiator.
As a member of the Mended Hearts after undergoing open heart surgery himself, Ray met with heart patients at Ellis Hospital during their pre-op visits, answering questions, calming fears, and giving helpful hints for recovery.
A star basketball player throughout high school, Ray continued playing on a team for Duanesburg adults for years. He loved following Dale Earnhardt and, later, Junior on the NASCAR circuit. He attended stock car races throughout New York State and at Stafford Springs, CT, first with Karen and later with Jennifer and his friend Lenny. Ray also enjoyed hiking, snowshoeing, downhill skiing, and attending Willie Nelson concerts in support of Farm Aid, but he especially loved using his prized 1952 Case tractor to preserve the Hawes family farmland. Ray was the fifth generation to grow up on the highest point in Schenectady County, making his daughters the sixth. A favorite annual retreat was Chatham on Cape Cod, a town his ancestors helped to found in the late 1600s.
Ray was born on September 3, 1943, in Amsterdam, NY, to Grace Elizabeth (Dorn) and Willis Delbert Hawes, who predeceased him.
Ray is survived by his wife Karen, his daughters Ellen Durbin and Jennifer Hawes, son-in-law Benjamin Durbin, grandson Ryan Durbin, sister Shirley Clark, brother-in-law William, two nephews and several cousins.
The Hawes family would like to thank the army of doctors, nurses, and staff who helped assist Ray in his battle: Dr. Jason Heckman, Dr. Stewart Silvers, Dr. Mike Holmes, Dr. Joseph Choma, Dr. Jeff Kennedy, Dr. Doug Rubinson of Dana-Farber, and John Spindler, P.A. They would also like to thank the nurses at New York Oncology Hematology (NYOH) in Rexford for their compassionate care and moral support. The family is especially grateful for Community Hospice of Schenectady, particularly Ray's nurse, Sue Stewart, who went above and beyond to help the family, and the TLC of his aide, Heidi Surerus. Another thank you goes for all the help, meals, and support of their friends and neighbors.
Family and friends are invited to call at the White-Van Buren Funeral Home, 1779 Main Street, Delanson, NY 12053 on Tuesday, May 5, 2015, from 4 pm to 7 pm. Funeral mass will begin at 11 am on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 1735 Alexander Road, Delanson, NY 12053. A reception at the church hall will follow. A private interment will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Lustgarten Foundation, 1111 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714, https://www.lustgarten.org/donate, and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 1500 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, https://netcommunity.pancan.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=796, to help advance research, support patients, and create hope for those affected by pancreatic cancer.
On Thursday, April 30, 2015, Raymond passed away at his home in Delanson, NY, surrounded by his loving family after a more than two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Ray was 71 years old.
Ray married his best friend, Karen Ilena (Mudar), more than 43 years ago. Together they built a loving and happy home and raised two wonderful daughters—Ellen Jeanne and Jennifer Rae.
Ray was a graduate of Duanesburg Central Junior/Senior High School, and he went on to earn an associate’s degree in HVAC and Refrigeration Technology from Hudson Valley Community College.
After working for two construction companies in the piping and pipe insulation fields, Ray, an entrepreneur at heart, founded and operated Yukon Insulation Company, Inc., an open shop HVAC and plumbing piping contract insulator, which was in operation for 27 years. He also helped Karen found Klondike Insulation Material Sales Corporation, which was in operation for 21 years.
Ray was a caring, kind, generous man who was a born diplomat. He was involved with his community, serving on the Duanesburg Town Planning Board and devoting 25 years to the Duane Lions Club, where he held the positions of President, Zone Chairman, Deputy District Governor and District 20-Y2 Cabinet Secretary. Ray was on the Duanesburg School Board for 21 years, 18 of which he was President and chief negotiator.
As a member of the Mended Hearts after undergoing open heart surgery himself, Ray met with heart patients at Ellis Hospital during their pre-op visits, answering questions, calming fears, and giving helpful hints for recovery.
A star basketball player throughout high school, Ray continued playing on a team for Duanesburg adults for years. He loved following Dale Earnhardt and, later, Junior on the NASCAR circuit. He attended stock car races throughout New York State and at Stafford Springs, CT, first with Karen and later with Jennifer and his friend Lenny. Ray also enjoyed hiking, snowshoeing, downhill skiing, and attending Willie Nelson concerts in support of Farm Aid, but he especially loved using his prized 1952 Case tractor to preserve the Hawes family farmland. Ray was the fifth generation to grow up on the highest point in Schenectady County, making his daughters the sixth. A favorite annual retreat was Chatham on Cape Cod, a town his ancestors helped to found in the late 1600s.
Ray was born on September 3, 1943, in Amsterdam, NY, to Grace Elizabeth (Dorn) and Willis Delbert Hawes, who predeceased him.
Ray is survived by his wife Karen, his daughters Ellen Durbin and Jennifer Hawes, son-in-law Benjamin Durbin, grandson Ryan Durbin, sister Shirley Clark, brother-in-law William, two nephews and several cousins.
The Hawes family would like to thank the army of doctors, nurses, and staff who helped assist Ray in his battle: Dr. Jason Heckman, Dr. Stewart Silvers, Dr. Mike Holmes, Dr. Joseph Choma, Dr. Jeff Kennedy, Dr. Doug Rubinson of Dana-Farber, and John Spindler, P.A. They would also like to thank the nurses at New York Oncology Hematology (NYOH) in Rexford for their compassionate care and moral support. The family is especially grateful for Community Hospice of Schenectady, particularly Ray's nurse, Sue Stewart, who went above and beyond to help the family, and the TLC of his aide, Heidi Surerus. Another thank you goes for all the help, meals, and support of their friends and neighbors.
Family and friends are invited to call at the White-Van Buren Funeral Home, 1779 Main Street, Delanson, NY 12053 on Tuesday, May 5, 2015, from 4 pm to 7 pm. Funeral mass will begin at 11 am on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 1735 Alexander Road, Delanson, NY 12053. A reception at the church hall will follow. A private interment will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Lustgarten Foundation, 1111 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714, https://www.lustgarten.org/donate, and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 1500 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, https://netcommunity.pancan.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=796, to help advance research, support patients, and create hope for those affected by pancreatic cancer.
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