Raymond Frank Hills of East Millstone passed away at home on October 28. He was 94 years old.

Raymond lived in East Millstone all his life. He attended the East Millstone School as a child, and graduated from Highland Park High School in 1950 where he excelled at track and field. Ray joined the US Navy on April 5, 1951.

After graduating boot camp in Bainbridge, Maryland, Ray was assigned to the USS DeLong 684, Destroyer Escort. Ray started out as a seaman apprentice, and later became a 3rd class machinist mate where he was assigned to the fire room. He worked with low pressure steam on evaporators converting salt water to fresh water. He loved this job which provided for the boilers, laundry, showers, drinking and galley. In his last year of serving, Ray was promoted to machinist’s mate second class petty officer, and transferred to the power plant in the after-engine room where he had eight machinists under him. He worked with high pressure steam that ran the turbines. During his tour, Ray was on a shake-down cruise to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, June 1951, a convoy mission to Norway, Scotland, Ireland, and Greenland in December 1952, and to Venezuela and Brazil in 1954. Ray was discharged from the Navy on April 5, 1955.

After the Navy, Ray was employed by Johns Manville and worked there for 6 months. After JM Ray worked for Woods Newspaper where he started as an apprentice and worked his way to journeyman machinist. Ray repaired newspaper equipment and traveled around the US and Canada for the company. Ray worked for Woods from 1956-1981. Later in his career, Ray worked for National Can, Johnson & Johnson, and finally APB Equipment Service with his close friend, Tommy Bates.

Ray met the love of his life, Arlene Helen Johnson, in 1956, through mutual friends, Nancy Hart and Bob Zigler. They were married in East Millstone in 1958, and have three daughters, Donna, Diane, and Joanne.

Raymond and Arlene raised their kids to enjoy the outdoors. They spent many years spending Ray’s two- or three-week vacations camping with Ray’s sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Lu Westerfield. Starting out in a Coleman tent, Ray upgraded to a Coleman pop-up tent camper after one too many rainouts. Ray loved to fish and enjoyed sharing that pastime with Lu, and his son-in-law, Jon. Later, he took great pleasure in teaching his grandson, Jake, that same joy and the two of them became fishing buddies, well known on the stream by all the other fishermen.

Ray cherished all his grandchildren and enjoyed time with each of them. He shared the same love of camping and fishing with the kids and he cheered them on at their sporting events. Ray looked forward to the annual birthday parties and holiday celebrations with his family, even sneaking in a prank such as setting off fire crackers at midnight on New Year’s Eve. He especially enjoyed lending a hand when he could and helping his sons-in-law Jon, Artie and Scott with projects as well as getting in on the Monday Night Football pool with them and all the others in town who participated. When he wasn’t hanging out with family, Ray could be found at the deli on Market Street, a neighbor’s firepit, or visiting with friends in the yard.

Ray was a Boy Scout Leader from 1965-1975. He spent countless hours with the boys, taking the troop on campouts to Johnson Park, Worthington State Park, Flagstaff Park, Jockey Hollow, and Sunfish Pond—and canoe trips on the Batsto, Mullica and Delaware Rivers. He took them on outings as far as Gettysburg, PA and Washington, DC. Seven boys became Eagle Scouts in his troop.

Ray was a member of the East Millstone United Methodist Church and the East Millstone Historical Society. He loved East Millstone, loved his neighbors, loved his family, and most of all he simply loved life. He adored the attention he received and was very proud to be the longest-living resident in the village and nicknamed the mayor. Ray will be greatly missed.

Raymond was predeceased by his wife, Arlene, in 2020.

He is survived by his sister, Joan Westerfield; three daughters and their spouses, Donna and Jon Patrick, Diane and Artie Wilmot, and Joanne and Scott Gordon; five grandchildren and their spouses, Lisa Patrick and David Kiyak, Michelle Patrick and Topher Robertson, Raymond Dippolito and Ana Ruzic, Jake Hills, and Haley Wilmot, and one great-granddaughter, Macy Dippolito.

Funeral services will be held at the East Millstone United Methodist Church at noon on November 9.

Burial will follow at the Cedar Hill Cemetery.

A reception will be held from 4-7 p.m. at The Landing Banquet Hall, 311 Amwell Rd., Hillsborough. If you wish to attend the reception, please RSVP to Donna (802-363-0116), Diane (732-713-1494) or Joanne (908-227-6996) by Nov. 5th.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Ray’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Arrangements held under the professional direction of the Gleason Funeral Home.

 

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