Raymond H Garland

Raymond H. Garland of Plano, Texas passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on the evening of Thursday, November 19, 2015. He suffered a heart attack on July 4th and died of complications from open heart surgery. Ray was born in New York City on March, 26, 1934 to Raymond and Grace Garland. During most of his childhood in New York he could be found either on a baseball field or basketball court. He attended Saint Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont, where he was a member of the basketball team. From 1956 to 1959, Ray served in the Air Force as a navigator for Strategic Air Command and was stationed in Idaho and Texas. He then returned to New York City to work for Western Electric where he met the love of his life, Mary Ann. They were married on November 18, 1961. In 1973, he was hired by JCPenney and moved his family to Plano. He worked for JCPenney in the Real Estate Department until he retired in 1998. He enjoyed spending his free time outside by the pool, working on crossword puzzles while Frank Sinatra was playing in the background; he even continued with this lifelong ritual after his initial heart attack in July. And it was certainly not unusual for anyone who met Ray to comment upon his glowing tan that seemed to stay throughout the year. Ray was an honest, intelligent, hard-working man who was quite charming to those who knew him. He was a devoted husband and father who loved his girls as much as humanly possible. He was a caring husband who celebrated 54 years of marriage with Mary the day prior to his death. As a father, Ray took an active role in his three daughters' athletic careers. He spent numerous hours helping them perfect their natural abilities in softball, basketball and soccer. He was a doting grandpa to his four grandsons; he enjoyed spending time reading and playing superheroes with them. He is survived by his wife Mary of Plano, children Mary Ellen Garland of Dallas, Barbara Landrum and husband Charles of Austin, Karen Garland-Kinch and husband Mark of Dallas, grandchildren Tanner Landrum, Cooper Landrum, Patrick Kinch and Maxwell Kinch, his sister Barbara Klos of Wilmington, North Carolina, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Grace Garland, along with his brother William Garland. The Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated on Monday November 30, 2015 at noon at Saint Mark's the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1201 Alma Drive, Plano, Texas 75075 followed by a reception at 1105 W. 15th Street, Plano, Texas 75075. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the North Texas Food Bank or to the Wounded Warrior Project.