Raymond Olsen Gant, 85, of Port Orange, FL, passed away peacefully at home Saturday, July 20, 2024, surrounded by his family. He was born at home in Perth Amboy, NJ, and lived in New Jersey until his late teens. Ray touched the lives of so many people in his lifetime that his legacy will be carried on through his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, family and friends.
In New Jersey, he was active in boy scouts and speed skating. He and his father were the first father-son pair to be awarded Eagle Scout at the same time. He and his parents, Raymond L. Gant and Violet H. Gant (Coopey) came to Florida for summer vacations several years in a row, and they decided to make the move permanent. They moved here in 1956 and lived on Walker Street in Holly Hill.
The first job Ray had was setting up bowling pins at a bowling alley on Granada Boulevard in Ormond Beach. Ray was nicknamed by his new Florida friends, "Suedes" because of always having suede shoes. He was still called Suedes at all the Mainland High School Reunions. He attended Mainland but dropped out and went to work for Hull Cabinet Works. He then worked for Daytona Mill Works in Holly Hill laying pipe in the Halifax River. He started taking classes in electronics at Daytona Beach Community College.
In 1958, Raymond met the love of his life, Carmen L. Julien, and they married on Nov. 12, 1960, at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Daytona Beach and settled at Rancho Heights Mobile Home Park in South Daytona. In 1962, Ray was offered a position at Cape Kennedy (now Cape Canaveral) and with their first child in tow, moved to Eau Gallie, FL. After the third child was born, they moved back to the area, living in South Daytona at Blue Villa Mobile Home Park. In 1967, Ray, Carmen and their four children moved to a house on White Place in Port Orange. One year later, they welcomed their fifth child, and they have lived there ever since.
Ray was very active in the community, being a Webelos Troop leader and coaching the A-da-Lite Little League baseball team. He frequently took the boys camping, fishing at the pier, or to Cape Canaveral for the day. Ray was a member of Epiphany Catholic Church for 57 years and helped raise funds to build the church that is there today. In 1976, Ray and Carmen lost their son, Raymond T. Gant, 13, in a tragic accident. The community of Port Orange came together and offered much support to the family, for which they were, and will forever be, grateful.
Ray was laid off from Cape Kennedy about 1980 and worked several jobs over the next few years – CF Pool Supply, Equitable Insurance, and in addition sold Dale Carnegie Classes. In 1985, Ray had the opportunity to apply for another position at the Cape and he was hired as a computer programmer with Applied Physics Lab/Systems Engineering Labs (APL/SEL). The company changed hands a few times but was eventually owned by John's Hopkin's University, where he rose through the ranks and was made Building Manager. Ray retired in 2015, after a total of 48 years of service in the Cape area
In his spare time, Ray was active and served as an Officer in several Toastmaster groups in Brevard County, Jacksonville, and Volusia County. He won several awards for his TM speeches – including his favorite category, "TALL TALES." He was a longtime member of the Sandcastle Storytellers and a former president of the group. For several years, Ray, along with his granddaughters and other storytellers, were in the play "Storytelling: It's Just Like Magic," written by Mary Jackson Fears and presented at Peabody Auditorium and the DeLand Museum at Arts. He had most recently joined the writer's group, Word Weavers, and was working on publishing several of his stories.
Aside from his parents, Ray is predeceased by a half-brother, Clarence "Skip" Giles, and his son, Raymond Thomas Gant.
Raymond is survived by his wife, Carmen Gant (Julien); four children, Janet Applegren, Laura Hughes (David), Sharon Haga-Jacques (Randolph) and Michael Gant; six grandchildren, Amber Guest (Hughes), Trista Guest (Applegren), Blair Wells (Hughes), Raymond Applegren, Alexander Haga and Morgan Hayes (Hughes); 10 great-grandchildren, Trinity Guest, Hannah Guest, Cheyenne Wells, Cohen Guest, Kinsley Guest, Raina Guest, Wesley Guest, Colton Applegren, Axl Wells, and Buzz Hayes, Jr.; a beloved cousin, Jozette Lima Spina (Michael); and a son-in-law, Russell Applegren.
Flowers are welcomed but donations may also be made to Sandcastle Storytellers, c/o Gia & Peter Giachetti, PO Box 184, Lake Helen, FL 32744, or Gentiva Hospice, 1717 North Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32117, or online at GentivaHsp.com.