Ollie Raymond

Ollie Raymond 92 of Grants Pass passed away on November 14th, 2017 in the loving care of Home on the Rogue foster home. Oliver and his wife Mattie of 60 years moved to Grants Pass in 1969 after his service in the U.S. Army for over 25 years.

Ollie was born in New Orleans on February 13th, 1925. He attended Jesuit High School and then attended LSU on an athletic scholarship where he participated in track & field, football, and baseball. He was stationed at Fort Ord California when he met Mattie working in a tailor shop. In 1951 they married. From then on, it was Army life. Together they traveled and lived in a number of countries with 5 very active children. Four of those years they lived in Africa where Mattie and Ollie hunted extensively. One trip was a 30-day safari down the Nile River. Of all of their traveling, the children loved living in Hawaii the most.

The Raymond’s always dreamed of living on a ranch (both having farming in their background). Prior to Oliver’s retirement, Mattie traveled to Grants Pass and found a wonderful dream maker “Paradise Ranch”. Just take a trip down Monument Drive and you will see where the Raymond’s and four of their children lived and worked for 20 years until 1990.

Mattie and Ollie entertained many guests from our community and many from afar. Some of the guests were married on Paradise Island. Many Grants Pass neighbors and friends played on Paradise’s 3 hole golf course.

Together they danced through life with one another and will transcend on forever.

A memorial mass will be at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at St. Anne Catholic Church with Father William Holtzinger officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park.