Raymond Edward Hafner

Raymond Edward Hafner, 82, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on June 9, 2025.

Ray was born on April 14, 1943 to the late Frank J. Hafner, Sr. and Rose C. Rief in Brooklyn, NY. He grew up in Glendale (Queens), NY with his two brothers. Ray attended All Hallows High School in the Bronx and then went on to graduate from St. John's University, Queens, NY with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master's in English Literature.

Ray maintained lifelong relationships with friends he made growing up in his neighborhood. He was a talented athlete who loved playing baseball, basketball, and golf. In college he played on the golf and basketball teams. The family vacationed in upstate New York where he developed his love of fishing and the outdoors-a tradition he would later continue with his young family.

Ray's post-graduate career started as a teacher at Brooklyn Friends School where he also served as Athletic Director and started their first golf team. He transitioned to a long and successful career in the insurance industry, ultimately retiring as the President of ESIS Corporation in 1999.

On January 23, 1965, Ray met the love of his life, Noreen, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Greenwich Village, NY at the wedding of Ray's friend and Noreen's cousin. They married on June 17, 1967 and enjoyed 58 years of marriage together as partners in everything. Ray and Noreen built a family together moving around New Jersey as their family grew with the birth of a daughter and a son. They settled in Medford, NJ in 1976 and raised their family in this community that they loved surrounded by close family and dear friends. Ray loved to entertain, hosting annual family reunions and passing on the love of keeping family together and the importance of these connections to his children. Ray and Noreen retired to Amelia Island, Florida in 2002.

The family grew with the birth of four beloved grandchildren. Watching his grandchildren grow and building unique and special relationships with each of them brought him perhaps his greatest joy.

Ray will be remembered for his intelligence, sense of fairness, honesty, love of storytelling, and patience. He loved to teach, worked hard and was always kind.

Ray is survived by his beloved wife, Noreen; daughter, Jennifer Cratem and her husband Michael of Jacksonville, FL; son, Gregory Hafner and his wife Susan of Macungie, PA; grandchildren, Elizabeth and Matthew Cratem, Maxwell and Allison Hafner; brother, Frank Hafner; sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, many nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews whom he loved very much. In addition to his parents, Ray is predeceased by his brother John Hafner.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at St. Michael's Catholic Church, 201 North 4th St., Fernandina Beach, FL. The family will receive friends from 10:15 AM until the hour of the service at St. Michael's.

In lieu of flowers please consider memorial donations to either the National Kidney Foundation or the Ackerman Cancer Foundation.

Please share your memories and condolences at www.oxleyheard.com

OXLEY-HEARD FUNERAL DIRECTORS