Raymond A. Gervais

Raymond Alexander Gervais 03/30/1926 - 01-17-2026, Passed away peacefully during the Rosary service, at the Grand Emerald assisted living facility, with family and friends

Raymond was an outgoing man who had the gift for gab. He would meet people and strike up a conversation covering all sorts of topics, by the time the conversation was over Ray had made a new friend. If the person he was speaking with had military background the conversation could take hours and he would always speak of the ship he was on the LST 862. Up until his last few months you could find Ray at Burger King in the Twin Branch area where he would go and have a meal and sit and talk with the staff or friend that would come in, he had his own sandwich name for him. Ray was very active at Battell Center Playing volleyball until he was 90 years young. He also ran in10k races, enjoy skiing, Judo Sr. division, Ray would go to Monkey Island to feed the ducks and geese he loved nature. He always had dogs, he would walk them around Mishawaka High School, you could always find Ray on Friday nights at Steele Stadium routing for the Cavemen or at most of the events his grandkids participated in, he loved his grandkids. Ray loved going to the VFW where he could catch up with his veteran friend and have a non-alcohol beverage and dinner. Ray was the Only WWII & Korean War veteran at the post, in which he was cherished. The TV show "Cheer's had their (Norm) - the "VFW 360" had Their "Ray". THE FRENCHMAN

October of 2023, he went on the Honor Flight out of Chicago and his grandson Alek (M.F.D.) was his medic Chaperone, to Washington D.C. A Memory he will treasure forever.

His daughter and son-in-law took Ray last summer to where he was born in the UP, Calumet Michigan, he remembered so much there, when visiting his grandparents, we even found the cement house that his dad and uncle worked mixing the cement in the summer of 1911 it is two story high.

He was born to the late Edward E. and Rosana (Chayie) Gervais on March 30, 1926, in Calumet, Michigan. Ray is survived by his only daughter Kathy (Roberto) Escobedo; son's Larry, Gary, Scott Gervais; his grandchildren, Alek (Ashley) Escobedo; Kaley (Austin) Coy; Erik (Hannah) Escobedo; Chase (Brittany) Gervais; Madison (Tyler) Strickland; great-grandchildren Colt, Sophie, twins Juliana and Rylee, Carter, and Andrew; sister-in-law Janet Gervais; Lorraine (Robert) Gill; Kelly (Rob) Brunes; Ben Brunes; Sam (Jillian) Brunes; special nephew John Tengelitsch; Steve Gervais, who would always visit him; and friend Ken Engdahl.

He is preceded in death by his parents; son Brian Gervais (2021); brothers Harold (Marceil) Gervais and Earl Gervais; sisters Eleanor (Albert) Tengelitsch, Virginia (Charles) Waggoner, and Marie (infant) Gervais; and sister-in-law Evelyn (Jack) Cato.

"The Frenchman" graduated from Riley High School in 1944 and was drafted into the Navy during World War II and the Korean War. He served as a U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Commander (Reserves). He was a member of VFW Post 360 and the Military Honor Guard, the Knights of Columbus, and served as a Notre Dame usher from 1942 to 2022. He was also a member of the Indiana Dog Search and Rescue Team and a founding charter member of Queen of Peace Parish since 1954.

Ray worked at Curtis-Wright, Castleman Fuel Oil, Studebaker, and Wheelabrator-Frye in the R&D lab, served as a volunteer fireman for the company, and worked as a Mishawaka High School hall monitor and sporting events staff member until 2022.

We will find comfort in knowing that Ray's legacy lives on through the lessons he taught us, love he shared and the memories we will share forever. Rest in Peace "Dad" until we meet again. LOVE ALWAYS

A visitation will be held for Ray, on Monday, January 26, 2026, from 2:00 PM- 7:00 PM, in Hahn Funeral Home, 505 W 8th. Street, Mishawaka, with a rosary set to start at 6:30 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial is set to take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, In Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 4508 Vistula Rd, Mishawaka, at 11:30 AM, with a visitation one hour prior in the church. A Burial is set to follow services at Fairview Cemetery, Mishawaka, in the military section. Military Honors will be conducted in the cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to (Troop Town) VFW Post 360 Mishawaka.