Lewis 'Louie' Raymond: 1934-2020

Lewis 'Louie' Raymond passed away July 14, 2020 at age 85. Lewis was born Oct. 3, 1934 in Bell, Calif., to Albert and Martha Raymond.

In the early 1940's the Raymond family moved to the Sanger area where they farmed, raised and sold nursery stock. Later in the '40's, the family moved to Woodlake, Calif., where they continued to farm, and, for a while, had 500 head of cattle.

Louie graduated from Woodlake High School in 1954 where he lettered in four sports. He, especially, enjoyed playing football in high school, and at COS in Visalia; also, playing both football and baseball in the US Army in Germany 1957-1959. In Germany, Lewis was assigned to the 11th Airborne Division (Angels) where he successfully completed Airborne School.

In 1959, Lewis returned to farming in the Woodlake area. He and his brothers were multi-skilled in running the family farm, including doing their own land leveling, welding, inventing machines, not yet available on the Ag market, for use in the orchards.

After leaving Raymond Farms, Lou was hired by Wheeling Pacific Manufacturing in Woodlake as factory superintendent for their Vancouver division. He moved to Vancouver, Wash., in early 1968 to set up the Wheeling Pacific NW division.

In 1977 he started and operated an excavating business until he retired in 2006. In the fall of 1968, Lou met his future wife, Carol. They were married more than 45 years. Lou enjoyed playing golf, shooting pool, boating and fishing at their place on Puget Island.

Lewis is preceded in death by his parents; sister Jeanette, brothers; Leonard, Babe and Gary; younger sisters, Geraldine and Marlene.

Lou is survived by his wife Carol; sisters-in-law, Bernice Raymond of Morro Bay, Gail Webb (Gary) of Glendale, Calif., Dusty Raymond of Yerington, NV., many nieces and nephews; and very dear friends Lubbert and Nancy VanDellen and family of Elderwood, Calif. Lou was interred with military honors at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.