Carl Raaka

1923 - 2014

Carl Raaka obituary, 1923-2014, Contra Costa, CA

Carl Raaka Obituary

Carl Raaka
July 26, 1923 - Sept. 19, 2014
Orinda/Moraga
Carl was born in San Francisco, graduated from Lowell High School and served in WWII as an army second lieutenant in India and Burma. After the war, he graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in chemical engineering and began work at Shell Development. Carl and his beloved wife of 65 years, Jeanette Hamill Raaka married in 1946. Carl was predeceased by Jeanette (2011) and by his siblings Barbara (2010) and Douglas (2014). Carl and Jeanette are survived by their children Stuart, Bruce (Elizabeth), Geoffrey (Barbara) and Jennifer (James Hurst) and grandchildren Melissa, Michelle and Brian.
Carl and Jeanette purchased their first home in Pleasant Hill, but moved in 1954 to live briefly in Florida and Wisconsin, and then for four years in New Jersey. But their hearts and family were in California so they returned to the Bay Area in 1959 to raise their four children. Carl designed the house in Orinda where he and Jeanette lived for 49 years until 2010 when they moved to Moraga Royale. After his retirement from Dow Chemical, Carl and Jeanette enjoyed playing golf, wine tasting and traveling worldwide. Carl served for several years as travel chairman for SIR Branch 8. His family credits Carl for developing and engineering the first peanut butter and jelly ravioli.
Carl and Jeanette will be missed and remembered by all for the happy memories they leave to us and for the wonderful life they shared together.

Published by Contra Costa Times on Oct. 1, 2014.
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