Raymond Demetrius Bland

It is with great sadness that the family of Raymond Demetrius Bland announces his passing on September 29, 2025 in The Woodlands, Texas at the age of 85. Born in Algiers, Louisiana on September 24, 1940 the only child of Charles Demetrius Bland and Dorothy May Bland (née Williams), his first 18 years were spent in Algiers, graduating from Behrman High School in 1958. An appointment to the Coast Guard Academy brought him to Connecticut that year, where he made many life-long friends, and more importantly, where he met the love of his life, Judith Gail Fritsch. They were married on June 7, 1962, in a whirlwind of friends' weddings in the days after graduating and before leaving for their new assignments. Over the next few years they welcomed Melissa (in 1963) and Steven (1966), and created a loving, supportive family.

Ray was a dedicated and decorated officer in the United States Coast Guard for 34 years, serving on the cutters Klamath and Dexter, as CO of the Cape Porpoise, and XO of the Reliance. Postings as CO of the Coast Guard Institute in Oklahoma City, three years as Training Officer at the Coast Guard Recruit Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey, and CO of Group Mobile followed. Along the way he earned Masters Degrees with Honors from Wesleyan University and Salve Regina College and graduated with distinction from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, where he was later the Coast Guard liaison to the International Class. His final posting was at the Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC. Post-retirement he studied for his PhD in Instructional Design at the University of South Alabama, and taught at the University of Houston, Clearlake and Montgomery College (now Lone Star College) in The Woodlands, Texas, where he and Judy moved in 1997 to be near Melissa and their grandchildren. Steven moved to the Houston area in 2000, reuniting the family.

The last 30 years of Ray's life were spent surrounded by his family, for whom he was a steady and loving figure, whether he was husband, father, grandfather, or great-grandfather. Three generations found their safe, quiet spot with him, sitting in his lap cross-legged on the floor or snuggled up next to him in his Lazy-Boy. They learned car care, how to use a computer, and home maintenance—all while learning to be self-reliant and honorable. When something went wrong they knew who to turn to: first it was 'Daddy fix' and later 'Papa fix'. They knew he could. Grandchildren Kristen, Nicolas, and Matthew and granddaughter-in-law Serena always knew how special they were to him, and the pattern only strengthened with great-grandchildren Heather, Josephine, and namesake Sterling Raymond. They all brought the biggest smile to his face.

Hobbies throughout his life included woodworking (everyone in the family has clamored for one of his beautiful whales) and running. His later decades were dedicated to genealogy, and he and Judy traveled the country and the world putting the pieces together. He managed the gargantuan task of gathering original sources for Judy's Mayflower ancestry, and his documentation on her behalf to the Mayflower Society was accepted on the first submission, which is not the norm. Judy and her sister Barbara were so thankful for that work on their ancestry! He learned that his own roots led back to Jamestown in the 1630s, and through Texas back to its pioneering days, with two ancestors holding original Texas Land Grants. These facts paved the way for membership in The Sons of the Texas Republic and The Jamestown Society. Many, many hours were spent ensuring that the family will always know the details of their past.

Travel was always important to Ray, a passion that began with cadet cruises in his Academy days. When Steven discovered that Judy's German immigrant ancestor had living residents still in the town he had emigrated from, he, Judy, and Steven visited them in Grossweir, Germany. Distant cousins became present family, and he and Judy made multiple trips to visit them, as well as trips throughout Europe,and brought Melissa and Matt to visit some of their favorite places. All three grandchildren fondly recall domestic trips with Nana and Papa to New England, The Grand Canyon or Yellowstone National Park. Melissa and Steven had childhoods filled with travel and camping across the eastern and southern US, as well as a memorable trip to England.

Ray will be remembered by everyone whose life he touched, but especially by the family who knew him best. Dark Belgian beer, UConn Women's Basketball, Judy's cheese pie, groan-inducing dad jokes, rare tenderloin steak grilled on an Old Smokey, Beefeater martinis and Old-Fashioneds. None of us will ever experience them without thinking of him and smiling. Ray, Dad, Papa: you will be missed.