Raymond James St. Germain, Jr.

Raymond James St. Germain, Jr., age 91, passed away at his home on Friday, February 8, 2019. He was born March 27, 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Raymond is survived by Charlotte Sloan, his wife for seventy years; sons, Raymond J. St. Germain, III (Jackie) of Houston, TX and Sloan St. Germain (Leslie) of Granbury, TX; daughters, Mary Charlotte St. Germain of Katy, TX, Susan Hopkins (Randy) of Fort Worth, TX, Teresa Solorio (Mario) of Horseshoe Bay, TX, Kathryn Armstrong (Tom) of Fort Worth, TX, and Elizabeth Maggio (Greg) of Industry, TX; 16 Grandchildren; and 33 Great-Grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Isabel and Raymond James St. Germain, Sr.; his son, Charles Fuller St. Germain; and his sister, Beverly Jean Fadrique.

Raymond was a graduate of Kincaid High School in Houston, Texas. At age 18, he joined the Navy and was a rear gunner and mechanic on a patrol plane in the States. Following his military service, he attended the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy in Rolla, Missouri and studied graduate courses at the University of Houston. Raymond briefly worked for Warren Petroleum and later for Gulf Oil before branching out as an independent investor.

Raymond was active in his community; strangers he met became friends. In Midland, TX, he was a Knights of Columbus 4th Degree at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, a member of the Texas State Guard, and a Boy Scout Troop Leader, taking troop #7 to the 1964 Boy Scout Jamboree in New York. An accomplished photographer, he was often found filming sports events, commercials, and performances of the Permian Civic Ballet Company. In Natchez, MS, he filmed football games for Trinity High School.

Raymond and Charlotte, with the invaluable help of David Calcote, restored and furnished Brandon Hall Plantation on the Natchez Trace. Together they shared a love for traditional jazz, and hosted celebrated jazz parties in their home in Natchez. They were regulars at Preservation Hall in New Orleans, enjoyed attending jazz festivals around the country, and became life-long friends with many renowned musicians, including Danny Barker and the jazz legend Eubie Blake. In 1982, much to his delight, Raymond was invited to be the road manager and travel with Bob Greene’s Jelly Roll Morton Band during their tour to England and beyond.

Raymond loved the Hill Country of Texas and the coast of Oregon. He enjoyed turquoise and truly appreciated the workmanship of old silver. But, more than anything else, he loved his family.

Mass will be held at 10 AM on Monday, February 18, 2019 at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville. Interment will follow at Garden of Memories Cemetery in Kerrville.

Memorials may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

The family invites you to send condolences at www.grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the “Send Condolences” link. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.