Raymond G. Pendergast Jr.

CENTERVILLE - Raymond G. Pendergast, Jr., 87, longtime resident of Centerville died Sunday Oct. 18 at the Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis.

Ray was born October 13, 1922, in Norwood, MA, and graduated from Norwood High School. He attended Northeastern University and was employed by Winslow Bros. & Smith in Norwood processing wool skins used in flying suits until his entry into the Army Air Corps in 1943. He attained the rank of Major and received the European African Middle Eastern Service Medal with 5 stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross in the course of flying 35 missions over Europe with the 388th Bomb Group from Knettishall, England as a B-17 Pilot. Postwar, he enjoyed a lengthy career in Aviation, having been a flight instructor for Cape Cod Flying Service in Marstons Mills, and a Pilot for Wiggins Airways, National Airlines, Northeast Airlines, and Delta Airlines until his retirement in 1982.

A devoted husband, loving father, grandfather, and devout member of the Our Lady of Victory Parish since its inception in 1957, he spent his retirement years as an avid Red Sox fan, golfer, fisherman and gardener.

He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 58 years, M. Elinor Pendergast, and is survived by six children: Raymond III and his wife Mary of Seattle, WA, Holly Farnham and her husband Jonathan of Centerville, Scott of Falmouth, Heather Mahoney and her husband Dennis of Barnstable, Gale Pendergast of Mashpee, and Leigh Pendergast of Randolph, and grandchildren Christopher and Ashleigh Farnham, Mark Wright and Kellianne Mahoney, Alice Pendergast, and Nicholas and Taylor Lacava.

Visiting hours will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, in the John- Lawrence Funeral Home, 3778 Falmouth Rd. (Rt 28) Marstons Mills. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Oct. 22, in Our Lady of Victory Church, 230 So. Main St., Centerville, with a reception to follow. Burial will be in Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne, with Military Honors, at 2 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Shrine of St. Jude, The Claretians, 205 W. Monroe St., Chicago, IL 60606.