Raymond Edward Schmitt – The Suffolk Times

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Last Updated, Aug 13, 2024, 7:41 PM

Raymond Edward Schmitt - The Suffolk Times

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Raymond Edward Schmitt, 86, passed away on Aug. 2, 2024. Born on Jan. 25, 1938, Ray entertained friends, family and strangers alike with his incredible stories.

Ray and his twin brother, Curt, grew up tinkering with engines becoming obsessed with racing hydroplane boats as teenagers, often beating teams with larger budgets and more experience. They loved modifying cars and motorcycles as well.

When his brother opened a motorcycle dealer on Long Island called Campus Motors, Ray worked for the business as a mechanic. Ray eventually met the love of his life, Patricia, marrying her in 1965 and their only daughter, Karen, was born in 1966.

In 1969, Ray won a national competition for motorcycle mechanics hosted by Kawasaki. The grand prize was a trip for two around the world, allowing Ray and Pat to see Hawaii, Hong Kong and Tokyo, among other places.

In 1973 Ray moved the family to Oroville, Calif., to build and run a KOA campground business. He also worked as a Honda motorcycles salesman at Gridley Growers. He once sold a motorcycle to a man with one arm, who was shopping for a lawnmower and not aware that automatic transmissions were an option on certain bikes. The man called Ray up one day to check on delivery of the custom-order Honda CB750, exclaiming, “Boy, I sure hope it arrives before I lose the other arm!”

Their only son, Curtis-Ray, was born in 1978. In 1986, Ray moved the family to Stony Point, N.Y., to work as a service manager at Boatland on The Hudson. About a year later the family moved to Harriman, N.Y., and Ray worked at Charles Point Marina in Peekskill, N.Y.

On the weekends, Ray and Curt competed in blue fishing contests with Curt’s boat, Nice ’N’ Easy. They would drag their reluctant sons along on these trips to keep the 42’ Nauset out of the lobster pots while Ray and Curt were busy reeling fish in at the rear deck.

In the late ’90s they began restoring an NJ speed skiff, appropriately named Double Trouble, which they exhibited and ran in multiple antique boat regattas throughout the 2000s, winning awards for their beautiful, no-compromise restoration.

Ray retired to Boise, Idaho, in 2010 where his daughter, Karen, and her daughter, Hailey, lived. This gave him the opportunity to watch his granddaughter grow from a little girl into an amazing young woman, which became a constant source of more great stories that he would tell to anyone who would listen.

Ray is survived by his brother, Curt; sister, Arline; son, Curtis-Ray; daughter, Karen, and granddaughter, Hailey.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations made in Ray’s name to a charity that his daughter has been actively involved with for many years called Camp River Run at campriverrun.org. No services are planned at this time. Online condolences may be made at bryantfuneralhomeonline.com.

This is a paid notice.

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