Ray Milford Weymouth Jr.

TOPSHAM -- Ray Milford Weymouth Jr., 77, of Topsham, died Saturday, June 4, 2011, at Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Ray was born in Winslow on April 13, 1934, a son of Ray and Angelina (Blais) Weymouth.

The original 1934 Classic, Ray graduated from Winslow High School in 1953, and served in the Army 78th Engineer Battalion in Karlsruhe, Germany, where he met and married his wife of 49 years, Inge Biedermann, and they were married in Karlsruhe on Feb. 2, 1962.

Returning to the United States in April 1962, Ray, Inge and daughter Andrea settled in the Boston area, where Ray was a loan collector and loan officer for State Street Bank and then in Portland, Maine, with Canal Bank.

In 1965, son Robert was born in Medford, Mass.

Not one to sit still for long, Ray changed careers and went to work as a driver for Hudson Bus Co. in Medford, Mass., and then later for Greyhound Bus Co., Boston, from which he retired in 1981. One of his Greyhound routes brought him through Brunswick, where he stopped at Howard Johnson's for coffee. Returning to the bus and realizing that it wouldn't start, he went to the nearby Starlight Motel to call his dispatcher. Ray struck up a conversation with the motel owner which eventually ended with he and Inge buying the Starlight Motel in 1973.

Six years later, they bought the Interstate Oasis Motel, and since the Interstate Oasis Motel was the first building tourists came to off the highway, it inadvertently became an unofficial visitor information center.

As an Innkeeper, Ray had a way of making an impression on the people he met. One visitor from New Jersey traveling on his way home from vacationing in Canada was so impressed that although it was after 11 p.m. and all motels in the area were full, when he stopped at the Interstate Oasis for suggestions, Ray called no less than 15 other hotels and finally located a place for them 25 miles away. This visitor actually wrote a letter to the Portland Press Herald, stating that they have decided to vacation in Maine in the future due to Ray's hospitality. He was active in the Brunswick Chamber of Commerce, Maine Mid-coast Association and Kiwanis. Ray even ran for Brunswick Town Council, District 4. He was a Maine Innkeepers Association board member for 15 years, receiving the hall of fame award in 2002. Ray was a licensed pilot, and actually owned a small plane back in the 70's. He really enjoyed driving and got plenty of practice moving daughter Andrea back and forth from Orono, Fla., New York and Boston. For one of the moves, he purchased a Wells Cargo utility trailer and was so impressed with Wells Cargo's warranty that he purchased the Maine franchise and started another business, Interstate Trailer Sales, in 1989.

Ray retired in 2000, and he sold the Interstate Oasis Motel to Harry Patel, and son Robert took over Interstate Trailer Sales. In his retirement, Ray enjoyed driving his motor home, boating, Red Sox baseball, New England Patriots football and was a daily participant in the Brunswick/Topsham Current Affairs Association (a.k.a. the coffee cronies). Although officially retired, he also worked part time transporting Wells Cargo trailers for Interstate Trailer Sales in Topsham, and more recently transporting rental cars for GCA Service Group.

Ray was very fortunate to enjoy good health for most of his life. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family after a brief illness. He will be missed dearly, but we take comfort in the many great memories.

Ray was preceded in death by a son, John Mason; and brothers Maurice Weymouth, Albert Fortin and Fernan Fortin.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years of Topsham; his son, Robert Weymouth, and his wife, Annemarie, of Topsham: his daughter, Andrea Weymouth-Fujie, and her husband, Maurice, of Honolulu, Hawaii; his sister, Esther Childs, of Belgrade; brothers Carl Weymouth and his wife, Janet, of Benton, and Gerard "Pete" Fortin and his wife, Theresa, of Waterville; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8 at Brackett Funeral Home, 29 Federal St., Brunswick. Burial will occur at 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 14, at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Mount Vernon Road, Augusta. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Ray's name can be made to the Homeless Animal Rescue Team of Maine, a no-kill adoption and rescue center for cats, at H.A.R.T., Box 351, Cumberland, ME 04021.

At this time, Ray's family wants to extend their sincere appreciation to everyone for their loving support and assistance. Condolences can be expressed at www.brackettfu neralhome.com, where a video of his life tribute can be viewed.