Raymond L. Chilcote

Chilcote, Raymond L.

      Raymond Lawrence “Ray” Chilcote went to be with the Lord Jesus on May 27 at the age of 92. He was born on May 7, 1932, to Raymond Leader Chilcote and Inez Chilcote. The family lived in the town of Joller, Pennsylvania, where Ray's father worked as a coal miner. He often shared many happy memories of his family’s life together, walking across a mountain to buy groceries, playing with his siblings, and being a part of the coal mining community. He deeply appreciated nature and enjoyed hunting and fishing with his father and the annual trek in the woods to cut down the year’s Christmas tree.

      When Ray was about nine, the family moved to the Baltimore area. After graduating from Southern High School in 1950, he worked on a Chevrolet assembly line and later as a machinist working on airplanes at the Glenn L. Martin Company before transitioning to positions in bookkeeping and office management. He worked as a tax preparer for H&R Block well into his retirement years. 

      Ray began dating Norma Jean Conley shortly after high school, and they spent their evenings driving (in his white Kaiser-Frazier) to  Hobbs Ice Cream, drinking milkshakes, going to ball games and sometimes fishing. While in the car one evening, Ray wrote on the windshield with his finger, “Will you marry me?” and she, also writing on the windshield replied “yes.” They married in 1952 and settled in Middle River, where they raised three daughters. 

      He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed watching all types of sports, especially the Baltimore Orioles games. He also enjoyed fishing and liked to bowl. He and Jean bowled for years on the church bowling team, and later in life, after Jean passed away, he and his friend Charlotte developed a tradition of bowling each week, followed by coffee and ice cream. 

      Ray loved spending time with his family. He was known for his joyful, fun spirit, great sense of humor, hospitality, and generosity.  He was also known for his faith. 

      He and Jean faithfully attended and served at First Church of God of Middle River and raised their children in the church. In addition to driving the church bus and teaching Sunday School, Ray served on the leadership council as a trustee and was the church treasurer for over 50 years. 

      He is survived by his daughters Brenda Cole and her husband Jeffrey, Deborrah Dittmar and her husband Kirk, and Sharon Mager and her husband Barry; eight grandchildren: Monica Bland; John Thomas Foster IV; Melinda Hardy; Brenden Bichy; Phillip Bichy; Tara Bochenick; Erik Dittmar; Michael Mager; Shelley Mahoney and Steven Mager; 23 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild due in August. 

      He is also survived by his sister, Patricia Edwards, and brother, Bruce Chilcote. 

      In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by Norma Jean; and siblings Joey Chilcote, Betty Rohrbach, Edward “Bud” Chilcote, John Chilcote, and Charlotte Patterini. 

Family Requests relatives and friends to visit the family owned Gonce Funeral Service P.A. 169 Riviera Dr. Pasadena MD on Friday May 31st from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 PM. Funeral Service will take place Saturday June 1st at 10:30 A.M., followed by an interment at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Brooklyn Park, Md. 

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