Raymond Ober
aYouth athlete, devoted sports fan

LACONIA - Raymond Hanlon Ober, 86, of Laconia passed away July 13, 2010, after a short period of failing health.

He was born on April 1, 1924, to George A. Ober and Grace Gault Ober in Hudson, MA. Shortly after Ray's birth, his mother died and George remarried Edith Gault Woodward who helped him raise their growing family.

After Ray graduated from Hudson High School, where he was noted for his skill in football and baseball, his entire family relocated to Ashland where they built and operated Ober's Knotty Pine Cottages and a gas station.

Ray worked at Scott & Williams in Laconia where he met and married his wife of 55 years, Simone LaFramboise.

He was known to his friends as a generous buddy who loved to golf and play cards. Ray always brought the ice. He enjoyed watching nearly all television sports, especially the New England Patriots. As a young man, he was known as Cyclone Ray for hitting the cycle - a single, a double, a triple, and a home run - in one game, in a league game played by his Ashland team against Laconia's team at Laconia's Memorial Park field.

He was predeceased by his parents; his sister, Dorothy Godun; his brother, George A. Ober Jr., and his sister, Margaret Woodward.

He is survived by his wife, Simone; his daughter, Gail Ober; his son, John Ober, and his wife Tracy; a grandson, Craig Ober; and numerous nephews, niece and cousins.

There are no calling hours, but there will be a brief graveside ceremony at Green Grove Cemetery in Ashland on Tuesday, Aug. 10, at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to any youth sports league, or to Community Health & Hospice Inc., 780 North Main St., Laconia NH 03246.

Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, is in charge of the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.

Published in Citizen from July 16 to July 17, 2010