Raymond James St. Germain Jr.
Published 12:01 am Wednesday, February 13, 2019
March 27, 1927 – Feb. 8, 2019
KERRVILLE, Texas — A Mass for Raymond James St. Germain Jr., 91, who died Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, at his residence in Wimberley, Texas, will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville, Texas.
Burial will follow at Garden of Memories Cemetery in Kerrville, under the direction of Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.
Mr. St. Germain was born March 27, 1927, in Kansas City, Mo., the son of Raymond James St. Germain Sr. and Isabel St. Germain.
He was a graduate of Kincaid High School in Houston. At age 18, he joined the U.S. 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, Mo., and studied graduate courses at the University of Houston.
Raymond briefly worked for Warren Petroleum and later for Gulf Oil as a landman before branching out as an independent investor.
He was active in his community — strangers he met became friends. In Midland, Texas, he was a Knights of Columbus 4thDegree at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, a member of the Texas State Guard and a Boy Scout Troop Leader, taking Troop No. 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, 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 lifelong friends with a number of 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.
Raymond was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Charles Fuller St. Germain; and one sister, Beverly Jean Fadrique.
Survivors include his wife of 70 years, Charlotte Sloan; two sons, Raymond J. St. Germain III and wife, Jackie, of Houston, and Sloan St. Germain and wife, Leslie, of Granbury, Texas; five daughters, Mary Charlotte St. Germain of Katy, Texas, Susan Hopkins and husband, Randy, and Kathryn Armstrong and husband, Tom, all
of Fort Worth, Texas, Teresa Solorio and husband, Mario, of Horseshoe Bay, Texas,and Elizabeth Maggio and husband, Greg, of Industry, Texas; 16 grandchildren; and 33 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to a charity of one’s choice.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the “Send Condolences” link.