On Wednesday, January 25, 2023, Raymond Joseph DeCosta, loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, transitioned peacefully at the age of 87, surrounded by his children at Fairview in Groton, Connecticut.
Raymond was born in 1935 in Groton, Connecticut to parents Clarence Lawrence DeCosta and Anna Marie Wargo-DeCosta. Raymond attended Fitch High School in Groton followed by a drafting apprenticeship at Electric Boat/General Dynamics. From 1954 to 1957, Raymond served in the Army and was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey and Okinawa, Japan. Following his military service, Raymond met Joan Mary Hutt at an Army dance while stationed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They married in 1957 and moved to Kittery, Maine for a short period and then settled in Gales Ferry, Connecticut. Raymond worked as a design supervisor and spent his entire career at General Dynamics Electric Boat. Together, Raymond and Joan raised four children: Susan Crawford-DeCosta, Lori Lowe (sp. Bruce Lowe), Dawn DeCosta (sp. Stephanie Nichols), and Raymond DeCosta, Jr. (sp. Heidi DeCosta). They were also blessed with eight grandchildren: Ashley Zelinski (sp. Jeremy Zelinski), Scott Crawford, Jessica Lee (sp. Steven Lee), Patrick Crawford, Marissa Lowe (sp. Nakita Van Bien), Tyler Crawford (sp. Adriana Rouquayrol), Sasha DeCosta, Sebastian DeCosta, and Benjamin DeCosta; as well as six great grandchildren: Reese Zelinski, Emmet Zelinski, Elden Lee, Miles Zelinki, Orlo Lee, and Isa Lee. Raymond was predeceased by his father, Clarence DeCosta (1954); son, Richard DeCosta (1961); sister Beverly Gentilella (1987); mother Anna DeCosta (1998); brother Clarence “Tony” DeCosta (2005); and wife, Joan DeCosta (2013). A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, February 3, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Mother of the Redeemer Church at 69 Groton Long Point Road, Groton, CT with burial immediately following in Avery-Stoddard Cemetery, Route 214, Ledyard. The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at Langley’s, 28 Lamphere Road, Waterford, CT. All are welcome to attend either or both events.