Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Raymond L. Oransky, who passed away peacefully on Monday, March 29, 2021 at the age of 96 in Portland, Maine.
Ray grew up on Munjoy Hill in the 1930s. He was the son of Joseph and Jeannie Oransky. His father immigrated from Lithuania in the late 1800s. Ray attended Portland High School and worked part time for his parents at the Portland Shoe Store. He was an avid ping pong player and along with the late Howard Reiche, spent many hours at the Portland Boys club competing. After graduating, he was drafted into the U.S. Army at age nineteen and served at the front in France in the fall of 1945 during WWII. After returning home, he attended and graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a chemical engineering degree. During his college years, he had a blind date with JoAnn Rothenberg. The date turned out quite successful as they soon married and settled in Portland. For the next sixty-seven years, Ray and JoAnn enjoyed a wonderful life together raising a family, traveling, building friendships and embracing all life had to offer. They traveled extensively to Elder hostels throughout the United States and met many new acquaintances. Ray and JoAnn vacationed in Puerto Rico for many winters during their semi-retirement.
Ray worked as a chemist at S.D. Warren Company in Westbrook for over thirty-five years and received many patents for his work in the paper coating industry. One of his best accounts he worked with on types of newspaper print was the Dow Jones Company (publishers of the Wall Street Journal). This was close to home because he loved “playing the stock market”. After retirement, he started a new career as a certified financial planner and then later at the young age of eighty became a top salesperson at the Workout Fitness Store. He picked up exercise after having a triple bypass at the age of sixty-three that lasted until his passing. To stay in shape, he attended heartline at the University of Southern Maine for over twenty-five years. To the amazement of many, he always looked youthful as his dark black full head of hair withstood the test of time. Raymond was a lifelong member of Temple Beth El and Shaarey Tphiloh synagogues in Portland. He worked for many years as a volunteer fundraiser for the Jewish Federation and funded the beautiful garden entry at Temple Beth El as well as endowed an art scholarship in JoAnn’s name at the University of Southern Maine. Ray always believed in moderation in life. He had a great sense of humor that endures through his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as well as sense of fairness and compassion. He enjoyed seeing and supporting all his grand and great grandchildren. He always stated ninety five percent of success in life is just showing up and he did just that for almost ninety six and a half years. He will be greatly missed.
He was predeceased by his wife JoAnn. He is survived by his daughters, Susan Levine and Jean Aron and son, Charles, wife Lori; grandsons, Joey Aron, Yehuda Aron, Adam Levine, Daniel Levine, Jake Oransky, Sam Oransky and twelve great grandchildren. The family would like to thank all who were involved with Ray throughout his life and importantly, for the last five years the people at Birchwoods at Canco.
A graveside service was held at Temple Beth El Memorial Park in Portland on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 1:00pm.
Zichrono l’vracha – may Raymond’s memory be for a blessing.