August 24, 1946 – February 8, 2025

WATERFORD — Dennison Butler (Denny) Raymond passed Saturday afternoon, Feb. 8, 2025 while on a walk with his wife, Ginny, and his sweet Sheltie dogs, Kelly, Mitzi and Manny. It was a beautiful day.

Denny always liked telling people he was born in Death Valley (the Mojave Desert), Trona, California. His dad, Donald Gor- don Raymond, worked as a chemist at a potash plant. When Denny turned 5, his parents divorced and
his mom, Jacquelyn Oelrich Raymond moved back to her hometown, McPherson, Kan., where Denny grew up.

Denny attended McPherson College, in McPherson, Kan. for one year, then transferred to Principia College in Elsa, Ill., where he met his wife, Virginia. Ginny and Denny actually met at the St. Louis Zoo, Penguin House, while on a zoological field trip. Principia College, situated on the bluffs of the Mississippi, was the perfect spot for romance to grow. They were married in 1971 in the Waterford Congregational Church where Ginny’s parents were married, and subsequently their daughter, ’Ginia, married as well.

Denny, having obtained a master’s degree in Computer Science at Steven’s Tech in Hoboken, N.J., the young couple settled in the Boston area where Denny worked as a computer programmer at the Christian Science Center. Through time, Denny became a computer analyst, and then moved into tele- communications. Denny worked at the Christian Science Center for about 30 years

Ginny and Denny started their married life living in Boston, but quickly realized that living in the city was not their thing. They moved to Wilmington, Mass., then to Lynnfield Mass., while expanding their family with three children, Urban Tyler Raymond (Tyler), William Chapin Raymond (Will) and Virginia Louise Raymond (‘Ginia) Brannan. When Ginny’s parents moved east from California, the family moved to North Reading, Mass., and subsequently to Waterford in 2005 into Ginny’s farm, inherited from her uncle, James H. Tyler.

As a young person, Denny was an active runner. He ran sprints in high school and college, and later he ran daily for fun, often joining local 5K and 10K races, culminating in running the Boston Marathon and the Boston Peace Marathon several times. While he was able, Denny ran yearly in the Waterford 5K Fall Foliage Road Race.

In recent years, Denny worked philanthropically here in Waterford. Denny was on the town’s Finance Committee and the Transfer Station Committee. He was manager of the Wilkins Community House, played the piano Wednesdays for the Christian Science Church in Norway and also did odd jobs for the Waterford Library. Denny and Ginny, have both been active with Maine Sheltie Rescue, fostering homeless dogs. Denny has loved playing Bridge his whole life. Denny played locally, every week, in the Oxford Hills Duplicate Bridge Club and at the Bridgton Community Center in Bridgton. He also sponsored a monthly Bridge group at the Waterford Library. Denny has also enjoyed singing in the Lake Region Community Chorus in Bridgton and in the Waterford Congregational Church choir.

When Ginny and Denny are not in Waterford, they are traveling to see their children, Tyler and wife Morgan, on Whidbey Island, Wash.; Will and wife Susan, and grandkids, Olivia and Owen in Ft. Worth, Tex.; ‘Ginia and husband Matt Brannan with their three girls, Eva, Ella and Emmi in Lunenburg, Mass.; or to Ginny’s brother and sis-law Chapin and Deborah Cutler in West Roxbury, Mass.

Ginny and Denny have continued to have a very active household here in Waterford with three Sheltie dogs, four cats and a thirty-year-old turtle.

A Memorial Service is planned for 1:30 p.m., Sunday March 2, 2025, at the Waterford Congregational Church, 15 Plummer Hill Road, Waterford.

Arrangements are under the care of Chandler Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, 45 Main Street, South Paris. Online condolences may be shared with Denny’s family at www.chandlerfunerals.com