Raymond Seville

Raymond Anthony Seville, age 64 of Newton, passed suddenly and unexpectedly on Saturday, June 20, 2020.

He was born to Warren and Josephine Seville in Paterson where he was raised at the family home on East 24th Street close to Baer Track Park.  He attended School 18 in Paterson and later Passaic County Technical High School with the Class of 1973. Ray has lived in Totowa, Lake Hiawatha, Ocala, Florida, and Port Saint Lucie, Florida before moving to Newton, New Jersey sixteen years ago.

Through his working years Ray always worked with his hands. In his early years he worked as a mechanic at the Exxon Station on 1st Avenue in Paterson, as a “lugger” moving bulk material in the Paterson textile mills.  For a time he worked at Curtis-Wright Aeronautical making brakes for the Airline Industry - there was always a standing joke that after he saw how the brakes were made he refused to fly. While in Lake Hiawatha he worked at an excavating company and while in Florida he worked with his brother Mike at a restaurant within a Florida Auto Auction and at the Kegel & Stilli Cabinetry Shop in Port Saint Lucie, Florida.  When he returned to Newton, New Jersey Ray in 2004 he started his own business “Ray Seville Home Improvements” where he specialized as a painting contractor. He also worked at Vision Research in Wayne as a carpenter, plumber, and in general maintenance. Each year Vision Research would have an “employee day” where Ray would set everything up and cook for the entire staff.

Ray knew Diane Bonadies from his Paterson days and reconnected with her after their high school years. Their first date was to a picnic at Diane’s mother’s home in Paterson and they soon fell in love. Ray proposed to Diane at a park in Cedar Grove.  She had a family heirloom stone and together they set out to find a setting.  They married in Totowa on August 16, 1980 and honeymooned at the Pocono Palace Resort on Fantasy Road in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Diane characterized Ray as her “rock” and that she was blessed with a forty year, loving, caring, and devoted marriage.

Ray was fun, opinionated, and crazy.  He portrayed himself as a tough guy but in reality he would help anyone and had a heart of gold! He loved his Harley- Fat Boy and always enjoyed day trips and annual trips to Bike Week in Daytona, Florida. Just four months ago he rescued two German Shepherds Stella and Frankie who he adored.

Ray is survived by his loving wife Diane; he was predeceased by his brother Michael and his sister Susan; he is also survived by his loving nieces and nephews Larry Seville, Lisa Fisacaro, Michael Seville, and Sophia Fiscaro; he will also be greatly missed by his brother-in-law Art Bonadies (Joyce), sister-in-law Linda Jantzen (her husband Charles “Andy” Jantzen predeceased in 2017) and their children Phillip Jantzen (Meghan) and their children Elizabeth and Charlie, Daniel Jantzen (Carrie), Stephanie ( Jantzen ) Sigman (Stephen), and Clare Edwards (TJ); nephew Michael (Janel) and thier children Drake, Logan, Amy, Mitchel and Michael.  He will also be dearly missed by other extended family and friends.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Garden State German Shepherd Rescue, https://gsgsr.org/donate/, would be greatly appreciated.