Raymond Edwin Walton

Raymond Edwin Walton, age 100, died Sunday March 31, 2024, after a brief five day stay in the hospital subsequent to a fall. He was the husband of Pauline Bryan Walton, who died February 7, 2020, at which time the couple was married 76 years. Prior to that he lived on his farm enjoying the beautiful landscape of Towamencin Township.
Raymond was born on a farm on South Broad St., Upper Gwynedd Township on June 16, 1923, the son of Clyde Snyder Walton and Mary (Sheppard) Walton. His formative years were on the farm doing chores and enjoying life in the country. After high school, Ray continued to farm on his own and for other people. One day his father told him to ask Pauline Bryan out on a date. Guess what! That lead to marriage in June 1943. Ray continued to work for his father Clyde in the fuel oil business, while farming and starting his own excavation business. Busy guy, but soon in August 1944, son Terry was born. World War II required Ray to be inducted into the Army, and be shipped to Europe in the last days of the war. A second son Phil was born in 1947, and Ray and Pauline focused on building the excavating business, and housing (two renovations!) and supporting the family. As an innovator, he even designed and built his own backhoe nicknamed the Hippopotamus to expand business capabilities. In 1956, Ray took over the fuel oil business from his father and partnered in running it with Pauline. The fuel oil business prospered and became an integral part of the community because of Ray's hard work, and obvious fairness and care for all his customers. Ray and Pauline grew that business for years until son, Terry and Diane purchased it from his parents in 1986. Today this fourth-generation business continues to prosper under the leadership of his grandsons, Scott and Christopher, who follow the business ethics set forth by their grandfather.
Aviation was Ray's hobby in his mid-years, becoming licensed to fly multi-engine aircraft and becoming instrument certified. He trained in these skills just to ensure the safety of his family and other passengers flying with him.
Upon Ray's retirement, his agricultural roots showed through as he started collecting and restoring antique farm tractors plus a few cars and trucks. In addition, he rescued a frost bitten 40-acre orange grove in Florida through hand planting a colder resistant tree species and laying piping and emitters for an irrigation system. No golf clubs for Ray! Even to his last days, Ray wanted to be in a chair where he could look out the window and watch the corn grow.
Ray was very humble and often donated anonymously to civic causes in the Lansdale area. He gave time to Meals-on-Wheels, Rotary, and to the Lansdale Historical Society where he became the go-to authority on many of the businesses that had grown up in Lansdale. In April 2016, Ray was recipient of the prestigious Edwin G. Holl Historic Achievement award recognizing his dedication and longtime commitment to the Historical Society.
Raymond is survived by two sons Terrence "Terry" L. Walton and wife, Barbara J., and Phillip and his wife, Valerie; seven grandchildren: Melissa Paul ( Christopher), Scott Walton (Jennifer), James "J" Walton, Christopher Walton (Hillary), Kate Walton, and Molly Licari (Blaise); and step- granddaughter Nicole Bomberger. He is also survived by 15 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Other than wife Pauline and parents, he was predeceased by a brother, Clyde C. Walton, and daughter-in-law, Diane C. Walton.
The family wishes to thank the many loving caregivers from Bux-Mont Home Care who made it possible for him to remain in his farmhouse for so long.
He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
Relatives, friends, and faithful employees are invited to visit with the family on Monday, April 8, from 9:00 - 11:00 am at Williams-Bergey-Koffel Funeral Home Inc., 667 Harleysville Pike ((Rt. 113), Telford, PA 18969. Funeral service will follow at 11:00 am. Burial will take place privately at Lansdale Cemetery. For those desiring, memorial contributions may be made to the Lansdale Historical Society, 137 Jenkins Ave, Lansdale, PA 19446.