Mechanicville, NY – Lorraine S. Raymond died Thursday, August 16, 2018 at 8:16AM after more than 48 hours of peaceful sleep, periodically attended by immediate and extended family and a few close friends. She passed at Hospice Inn, St. Peter’s in Albany, NY. Cause of death was acute respiratory failure and metastasized thyroid cancer.

The cancer, developing slowly and stealthily over the past two years, is untreatable by any means with a 5% survival rate at one year, according to the attending surgeon. It affected the vocal chords, esophagus, and wind pipe.

Lorraine was the eldest child and first daughter of the late Leopold and Geneva Santerre of Cambridge and Saratoga Springs. She graduated Cambridge High School in 1954. She was a graduate of Mildred Elly and had a career in retail banking. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her first husband, David Pine of Hoosick Falls.

Survivors include her husband Charles W. Raymond III of Halfmoon; sister Eileen (Dennis) Beswick and nephew Brian of Glens Falls; brother Donald (Barbara Stahura) of Manhattan; and stepsons Charles W. Raymond IV and Peter T. Raymond along with their families of Dover, DE and Conowingo, MD.

Lorraine and Charles began their nearly 43 years together with a tour of duty in India in 1976 to 1977, where he was an Army foreign area officer in training. He had propose “Marry me and I’ll show you the Taj Mahal”, which they saw within a month of arrival in New Delhi. She traveled with him to north India hill towns of Rishikesh, Lansdowne and Mussoorie; major cities of Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Dhakka and the hill tracts in Bangladesh.

After leaving India, they toured Western Europe in route to the next duty station at Fort Leavenworth, KS, with stops in Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen. Paris, Zurich, Munich and Frankfort.

While living in Leavenworth, Lorraine and Charles enjoyed travel to the west coast including Mendocino, San Francisco and Monterey. More frequently, they traveled to Kansas City, MO and Country Club Plaza to enjoy jazz music in various venues.

After Charles retired as a lieutenant colonel, they moved to Old Bennington, VT. Lorraine was a very supportive wife, especially when he was in the defense industry, commuting weekly to northern New Jersey. She provided coordinated outfits (“she dresses me”) as well as home cooked dinners.

In the past decade, Lorraine contributed regularly to various regional animal rescue and support shelters and causes. She had a love for Irish Setters, having owned four of them over the years. More recently she had owned two English Cocker Spaniels. Lorraine was noted among family and friends for her skills in interior decorating and coordinating colors and textures. She loved to knit and diligently worked on colorful scarves, donating 12 to 15 of them annually to the Capital City Mission on Pearl Street in Albany.

Lorraine will be place in the Columbarium Wall at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, in a private service at the convenience of the family.

Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes of 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs (518-584-5373).

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.