Raymond J. Racicot 1928 - 2008 BENNINGTON Raymond J. Racicot,80, a resident of Burgess Road, Bennington, Vt., passed away in the company of his loving family at his home Tuesday evening Nov. 11, following a long illness. He was born in Bennington, Vt., on March 5, 1928. Son of the late Phillip and Alda Betit Racicot, the eighth of 14 children. He attended Sacred Heart School and graduated in 1946 from Bennington High School, where he excelled in sports and met his future wife, Geraldine, Gerry, Gauthier. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army and spent time in Korea. In 1948, he returned to Bennington and married his high school sweetheart at Saint Francis de Sales Church and started a family of four boys and three girls. They recently celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary on June 12, 2008. He continued to be active in sports, playing in the local Fast Pitch Softball League and football with the local semi-pro team, the Shamrocks. He also coached the Bennington Little League teams and enjoyed watching his sons play sports in high school and college. He was employed at Yarnal Electric and G.E. Electric in Pittsfield, Mass., where he began to learn the electrical trade. He later owned and operated Racicot Electric until his retirement in 1990. In his retirement, he most enjoyed playing golf and keeping busy with his family, especially his 18 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren and three step-grandsons. Ray was a lifetime member of the Bennington Elks Lodge # 567 and VFW Post 1332. He was a volunteer fireman for Bennington Fire Department Stark Hose Company for 40 years. He leaves his wife Gerry Racicot of Bennington. His seven children and their spouses Timothy Racicot and Joanne of St. Louis, Missouri, Scott Racicot and Leila of Bennington, Irene and Gayle Racicot, and Stephen Cooper of Danvers, Mass., Kelli Racicot Griffin of Beverly, Mass., Dennis and Kim Racicot of Moira, N.Y., Gary Racicot of Bennington and Kari and Randy Thomas of Bennington. His 18 grandchildren, Aaron, Jeremy, Matthew, Jaime, Travis, Cory, Ben and Nick Phiel, Colby Carbee, Lindsay, Nicole, Ryan, Michael, Tatum, Melanie, Justin, Lorain, Alicia, Courtney, Christopher, Casey and Whitney. His 10 great-grandchildren. His sisters, Thelma Sausville, Theresa Long and Mary Brochu all of Bennington, Helen McKenna and Anne Deslaurier of Surfside Beach, S.C. Many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was pre-deceased by five brothers Victor, Thomas, Albert, John and Robert Racicot and three sisters Florence Stemp, Josephine Higgins and Carmel Pleasant. FUNERAL NOTICE: The funeral will be held from the MAHAR AND SON FUNERAL HOME on Friday Nov. 14, 2008 at 8:30 a.m with a prayer and then from Sacred Heart Saint Francis de Sales Church at 9 a.m. where the Mass of Resurrection will be offered. The burial with military honors will follow in the family lot in Park Lawn Cemetery. Friends may call at the Mahar and Son Funeral Home on Thursday Nov. 13, 2008 from 4 to 7 p.m. If friends desire contributions in memory of Raymond J. Racicot may be made to either Bennington Project Independence or the VNA and Hospice of Southwestern Vermont Health Care through the office of the Mahar and Son Funeral Home 628 Main St. Bennington, VT 05201. The following organizations are requested to meet at the Mahar and Son Funeral Home Thursday evening to conduct their services, VFW Post 1332 at 5 p..m., the Bennington Fire Department at 6:45 p.m., the Bennington Lodge of Elks # 567 at 6:30. .

Published in Bennington Banner on November 13, 2008