Ray Côté Jr.

Obituary for Gerald “Ray” Côté Jr.

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Gerald “Ray” Côté Jr. of Oakland, Maine. Ray passed away on September 8th surrounded by family at Alfond Center for Health in Augusta, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Born in Waterville Maine in 1942, the son of Gerald R. Côté Sr. and Rita St. Germain Côté. Ray married the love of his life, Rachael L. Giguère in 1962.
Ray started his career at Waterville Auto Sales as a mechanic after high school. He worked at Ware-Butler Inc. until he started Waterville Custom Kitchens in 1968, which he ran for over 45 years.

Ray was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying fishing, trapping, and hunting from his beloved camp on Chesuncook Lake. What started out as tenting with his family in 1967, he fell in love with the area and built a camp in 1969.

He was a successful float plane pilot and avid corvette enthusiast. For the past 30 years, Ray and his wife Rachael spent their winters in St. Petersburg, Florida enjoying boating and fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Ray was also a Life-time member of the Waterville Elks Club #905 and served as President of the Sea Horse Park board in St. Petersburg, Florida for 10 years.

He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years Rachael (Giguère) Côté of Oakland; brother Charles Côté and his wife Donna of Hampstead, NH; sister Rhea Côté Robbins and her husband David of Brewer ME; Four children: son Timothy Côté and his wife Susan of Waterville, ME; daughter Robin Côté Michaud of Waterville ME; daughter Lisa Côté Day and her husband Mark of Belgrade, ME; daughter Suzanne Côté of Oakland, ME. Ray and his wife were blessed with 10 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren; Several nieces and nephews.

He was pre-deceased by his brother Robert Côté of Waterville, ME.

The family would like to thank the wonderful care givers at the Alfond Center for Cancer Care in Augusta, Maine and Dr. Raiker and staff at Pinellas Cancer Center in St. Petersburg, FL.

A Funeral Mass will be held at Notre Dame Church, 116 Silver Street, Waterville, Maine on Friday, September 22nd at 10:00am, followed by a burial at St. Francis Cemetery, Grove Street, Waterville, Maine. Reception to follow at Notre Dame Church Hall.

In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ray’s name to: Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th floor, Brookline, MA 02445 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101.