Raymond Vena

Raymond S. Vena, age 81 of Wayne, passed peacefully on Saturday, May 4, 2019, at home with the comfort of his family by his side.

Ray was born in Linden to Michael and Mathilda Vena.  He graduated from Linden High School with the Class of 1955 and soon enlisted in the United States Air Force.  For much of his service he was stationed at the Gettysburg Air Force Base in South Dakota where he worked with Air Traffic Control and affiliated electronics.  He was also a great baseball player during his high school years and played second baseman during his service in the Air Force.

Upon being honorably discharged from the Air Force Ray found work with electronics and main frame computers at the Burroughs Corporation which eventually transitioned to the Unisys Corporation.  He worked here for over forty years and retired in 2001 as a Regional Field Engineering Accounts Manager.

While on a blind double date at Otts Spot in East Rutherford Ray met the love of his life Ann Marie DeCarlo.  They fell in love and married on May 6, 1961 at Sacred Heart Church in Lyndhurst, had their reception at San Carlo’s Restaurant in Lyndhurst before honeymooning at Mount Airey Lodge in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.  Their devotion to each other is evidenced by their wedding song “I’ll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time.”  Ray and Ann Marie have had a loving and devoted marriage of fifty-eight years.

Ray was dedicated to his community.  For many years he volunteered his time and talent at the Wayne P.A.L where he was a coach, Trustee, and he served as their Secretary and President.  He was always volunteering at the P.A.L. fireworks, bingo, and carnival as well. His over thirty-five year devotion and commitment to the P.A.L. was honored with several awards and a conferment of their Lifetime Achievement Award.

He was dedicated to his Catholic faith and most currently a parishioner of St Thomas More Church in Fairfield. For many years he was a committed adorer, at Our Lady of the Valley’s Eucharistic Adoration Chapel.

Ray could fix just about anything but never well.  His use of duct tape defied even the most all-encompassing uses of this product. Many will remember him for his punctuality that was perhaps influenced by his military service.  He was an extremely dedicated New York Yankees fan and loved the New York Giants as well.  He never took himself too seriously and enjoyed joking and kidding around. He was a dog lover and deeply missed his Golden Retrievers Timmy and Vinnie. Ray was a very proud husband, father, grandfather, and uncle who loved family barbeques and poker games.

He was the loving husband of fifty-eight years to Ann Marie; devoted father of Renee Bishop and her husband Robert of Parsippany, Janice DeBenedetto and her husband Michael of Wayne, Raymond Vena, Jr. and his wife Annmarie of Green Township, and Joseph Vena and his wife Jennifer of Wayne; he was the cherished grandfather of Michael, Claire, and the late Nicole DeBenedetto, Dana Bishop, Isabella, Catherine, and Jaclyn Vena.