Raymond French Randolph

1931 - 2020

Raymond French Randolph (Age 89) Originally from Connellsville PA, passed away on March 12, 2020.
Raymond was born on January 13, 1931. His father David Randolph married Mercedes Coyle (1st generation from Ireland). David was the top machinist for the Connellsville Pennsylvania repair facility for the B&O Railroad, where he met Mercedes. She was a secretary in the repair facility office. They had eight children.
In High School Raymond lettered in football, basketball and was an Eagle Scout.
During summer breaks he worked at Camp Conestoga in the Laurel Highlands of Western Pennsylvania. He was one of the original staff members. Practices the original staff used in the operation of Camp Conestoga were adopted by The Boy Scouts of America for use in other camps across the country.
After High School Raymond attended St. Vincent College for two years and St. Charles College for two years, both in pursuit of a life in the seminary. However, Raymond realized that he wanted a family and abandoned being ordained. In 1953 he worked as a Field Scout Executive for the Boy Scouts of America for a year until he was drafted into the Army in 1954.
Raymond was assigned to the 7th Army Headquarters G4 in Stuttgart Germany as a Company Clerk and served until 1956. Prior to deploying to Germany, he married Joycealyn Blair at Fort Knox, Kentucky in 1954.
After his return to the United States, Raymond enrolled at Duquesne University, and received a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with a Major in Accounting. He graduated with Honors. Raymond was recruited by the General Accounting Office and in 1959 Raymond and Joycealyn moved to Washington DC.
While working at the General Accounting Office, Raymond was asked to join NASA in February of 1962, to work in their Audit department. The work Raymond did at NASA, was noticed by Howard Greenberg, Associate Director for Public Affairs for the Peace Corps. In 1963 Greenberg asked Raymond to come and work for R. Sargent Shriver, to assist in setting up the Audit function in President Kennedy's newly established Peace Corps. Over the next three years Raymond traveled to 46 countries all over the world. From Caracas Venezuela, to riding in an open jeep across Africa, to Katmandu Nepal.
In 1963 Raymond and Joycealyn welcomed their first child and son Jonathan into the world. Because of the work Raymond had done for the Peace Corps, Mr. Randolph was offered a position with the Small Business Administration as the Deputy Director of the new Minority Owned Business Loan Program. Due to his extensive travel throughout the first two years of his son's life, and the desire to be home more, he accepted the position.
In 1967 Raymond and Joyce welcomed the birth of their second child and daughter Ann. Over the next 24 years Raymond rose through the ranks of the Small Business Administration. In 1978, he was appointed Director of the Office of Investigations, Examinations and Audit. He reorganized this office in 1978. The methods and practices adopted by Raymond and his staff were new in the Executive Branch. The work of Raymond and his staff would become a model of organization upon which the Inspector General Act of 1978 was based. Some referred to Raymond and his staff as the "Fathers" of The Inspector General Act.
Raymond served as the Acting Inspector General for a total of seven years for Presidents Carter and Reagan. Though Raymond was asked, he never accepted the Inspector General position in the permanent capacity, due to the fact that Inspector Generals are a political appointment by the President. Raymond never wanted to put his employment status at risk. In his position as Acting Inspector General, Mr. Randolph testified before Congress on eight occasions. He appeared on Walter Cronkite's Evening news program. He met with President Reagan on two separate occasions. In earlier years, in the course of his various positions, Raymond interacted with the White House staffs of Presidents Johnson, Carter, and Ford. Raymond retired from government service in 1989 as a member of the Senior Executive Service, Level 3. On his retirement citation it reads, in part, "During his 30 years of Federal Service he has been responsible for saving the SBA and other agencies for whom he served, millions of dollars by improving the controls over and management of funds. He has audited numerous Fortune 500 companies and small businesses."
During the last ten years of his career, Raymond took up long distance running at the age of 47. As a member of the DC Road Runners he ran and completed 16 marathons, including multiple runs of the Marine Corp marathon and a 24-hour relay. Plus, a multitude of 5 and 10K races, where he often placed first in his age group.
While Raymond enjoyed a highly successful career, he also was wonderful husband and father. Raymond was a Cub Scout leader and coached boys' basketball. He supported his wife in her role as a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader. Raymond was also active in his parish, St. Phillips Catholic Church in Falls Church, Virginia.
In his retirement Raymond and Joyce returned to Pennsylvania. They traveled extensively all over the United States. They toured the United Kingdom and all of Europe. In 1990, Raymond and Joyce became proud grandparents to Ann's son Edward Lee. Raymond spent the next 30 years enjoying being a grandfather, spending ample amounts of time with his family, enjoying landscaping his yard, and extending his intellect by attending courses at Wilson College's Institute for Retired people.
Raymond passed away peacefully on March 12, 2020, having enjoyed a rich, successful, well-earned life. He will be forever loved and missed. The family had a private service, Raymond's cremated remains will be scattered in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania. If you would like to honor Raymond, the family asks that donations be made in his name to the Armed Services YMCA, an organization that supports junior enlisted service members by providing child enrichment programs, camping opportunities, health/wellness assistance and food provisions. You can donate at www.asymca.com.
Raymond is preceded in death by Father, David Randolph, Mother, Mercedes Randolph, brothers, Vincent Randolph and David Randolph. Raymond's sister Mercedes Oppman passed on March 24, 2020. Raymond is survived by Wife, Joycealyn Randolph, Son, Jonathan Randolph, daughter, Ann Randolph Boyter, grandchild, Edward Randolph Boyter. Sisters, Maryellen Haas, Virginia Harwell, Delores Raynsford and Brother Thomas Randolph.