WW II Veteran Raymond Theodore Zeller Sr. of Wakefield Dies at 100

WW II Veteran Raymond Theodore Zeller Sr. of Wakefield Dies at 100

Raymond Theodore Zeller Sr., 100, of Wakefield, RI passed away in his sleep at home on November 17, 2022. Raymond is survived by his wife Anna Jones Zeller, who currently lives in Corsicana, TX with her daughter, and his children Raymond Jr. of Wakefield, RI and Kathleen Rae Zeller of Bristol, RI, and by his granddaughters Krystin Meidell and Katelyn Meidell.

Raymond was born on August 19th, 1922, in Queens, NY and was the youngest son in a family of five siblings. After growing up in Astoria, NY his family moved to Greenlawn, NY where he met and later married his high school classmate Lois Emily Zeller. Upon graduating high school, he went to work briefly for Republic Aviation before enlisting in the Army Air Corps during WWII, where he completed advanced pilot training and was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant.

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Following the war, Ray earned his BS and MS degrees in Manufacturing Engineering at night while employed in the aerospace industry, first at Republic Aviation in New York and then Fairchild Hiller in California. He then transitioned into the computer industry with IBM Federal Systems Division in Owego, NY where he worked as an Engineer and Program Manager on a variety of defense projects and the Space Shuttle program.

He finally retired in Rhode Island, where he and Lois provided valuable assistance in his son’s new business while living in Newport and North Kingstown. After Lois’s death, he met and married Anna. They spent many happy years in North Kingstown and Wakefield, where they enjoyed spending time with their friends and volunteering with local community programs.

Ray was very much a family man who enjoyed raising his children and staying active with his grandchildren and extended family. He and Anna had many wonderful adventures together traveling and exploring the world. He was also an avid fisherman and spent many happy hours fishing with Ray Jr. over the years.

Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, from 10:00-12:00 at the Avery-Storti Funeral Home in Wakefield, RI, followed by a funeral service at 12 pm.

Burial will be in RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to the American Red Cross and Save The Bay.