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6 tree(s) planted in memory of John Moran
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the Balazs and aunt millie planted 3 trees in memory of John Moran
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
3 trees were planted in memory of
John Raymond Moran
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Anonymous planted a tree in memory of John Moran
Sunday, June 8, 2025
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Michael Osborne uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, May 17, 2025
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Ray was the sort of man who applied his best ability to everything. He was a truly multifaceted but uncomplex man, who flourished socially and was always at the centre of the party. He had an amazing sense of humour and was fearless. How many of us would accompany our grandchildren on terrifying rides at Hershey in our mid-seventies? Ray would. For all the action, hobbies, fun and travel he packed into his life, he never lost sight of the primary importance of family. They were everything to him.
I came to know Ray late in life. We first met in January 2012, a day or two shy of the first anniversary of his late wife’s passing from a brutal lost battle with cancer. He was still only 72, and the family were recovering from her painful loss. I never met his soulmate, Darlene, but briefly spoke to her on the ‘phone 24 years previously. I had met his youngest daughter, Heather, as an 18-year-old on the QE2. In true Moran style, I acquired a nickname in the family due to the briefest of exchanges with her mother, becoming known as “Micold” due to my accent in pronouncing my name. Well, “Micold” was welcomed by Ray and his family a quarter of a century later in a way I could never have imagined; it was so overwhelmingly positive and accepting.
If we ever recover from the loss of someone so important to us as his wife Darlene, well Ray showed the way in how he soldiered on through his grief, and managed his pain by never losing his humour and filling his life so completely with his passion for golf, collecting corkscrews, his commitment as warden to his church in Hamyln, and his relentless overseas and domestic travels. Indeed, one always wondered where this enormous reserve of energy came from.
In many ways, Ray and I were very different people. I the reserved English guy, overthinking things, and anything but a financial success; I don’t play sports and couldn’t swing a golf club and hit a ball even for a million bucks. Ray, on the other hand, was an Irish American graduate of public high school who, after serving in the Air Guard in France during the Berlin Airlift, had climbed his way up the hard way as an electrician on the trading floor of the American Stock Exchange, to eventually became a dual member of the American and the New York Stock Exchanges, becoming Vice President of A G Edwards. He used to be a swimmer, and his golfing skills were legendary. But our differences never mattered to him. He recognised that I adored his daughter and he loved my children. He recognised also my strengths and attributes, and encouraged me to join Freemasonry, became my mentor, and showed me how to become more rounded and tolerant in expressing myself. He travelled three and a half thousand miles to babysit our kids on our first wedding anniversary, and attended my Raising as a master mason in England, and for Heather’s citizenship ceremony. Indeed, he had been a member of his mother lodge at Enterprise 31 in Jersey City for over 59 years at his death. He had been looking forward to seeing me go through the Chair, and always took an interest in what I and others did. Although he lost much so soon after the death of his wife, and when Heather agreed to marry me and leave for England, he never stood in our way, not once. He accepted that her happiness and not his best interests had to come first. I thanked him for this benevolence and magnanimity when I stood by his deathbed, barely holding back my tears when I had to say that which had always been on my mind, but which I never said to him in conscious life - thank you. Thank you for blessing my marriage to Heather; thank you for accepting my children as your grandchildren without question or reservation; thank you for visiting us in the UK every year without fail; and thank you for all the many wonderful adventures with us to Oxford, ‘Downton Abbey’, London and so many, many other places down the years. Ray never failed to attend an event, from his step-granddaughter Anna's cadet passing out, Heather's citizenship ceremony, to my Raising. Thank you for your life, for being my father so late in our lives, and for being that steady, unchanging man capable of handling every passing moment of crisis.
Many moments of mirth demonstrated Ray’s capacity to lead from the front. I often recall when he rented a vehicle for our vacation together in Belgium, only to find the only vehicle the rental company had left was a huge fifteen-seater bus. Well, he hired that darn thing anyway, and drove it like it was his own around Flanders and Wallonia, even commensurately reversing it back up a spiral underground car park when we found out too late it was too big for the headspace. There was no rage, cursing, or tearing at the steering wheel as I would have done! No. Ray just got on with his ”What are ya gonna do?” attitude and reversed that bus back up that dark spiral into the street without a word of complaint. He climbed Lion's Hill at Waterloo at 75, walked the battlements of castles and explored the tunnels of the Hell Fire Caverns without so much as a grumble! This reflected his famed stoicism. And that stoicism, which he showed in the final days of his life, also summarised the success and personal growth he had achieved as a man, husband, son, father and grandfather. He was a golf club captain, a stockbroker, an antiquarian, a church warden, a master mason and a trawler skipper. He had assertive traits which were his virtues, such as courage, discernment, prudence, eloquence, and a strong sense of honour and duty in a way which summed all that was good and great about America’s golden generation of the 1940s and ‘50s; to be kind, courteous, and respectful, with a good sense of humour and an enjoyment and lightheartedness coupled with sense of duty.
On the other hand, he deeply missed his wife, and I could sense the pain he felt and at times the awful loneliness, not in times of quietude, but often in social contexts, when he was being strong and humorous. Despite this, he insisted on living, and, in common with so many of his generation, Ray never expressed his deeper feelings publicly but bore them with the compassionate qualities of kindness, empathy, and mercy he showed to others. He embodied all of what we call "humanitas"; which is another way of saying that Ray lived life to the fullest and gave so much back in return. He sponsored his church, donated a valuable Dorflinger glassware collection to the White Mills museum, and helped keep the Paupack Hills Country Club going when he could no longer enjoy playing. He supported charity, particularly at his new second ‘home’ with his adopted crew at the beloved John’s Italian Restaurant in Greentown.
If I was asked to sum up Ray, he was intelligent, down-to-earth and self-assured. He maintained that balance between an active life, family, and his many hobbies, which equilibrium manifests an all-roundedness that few rarely achieve. Few people had more young, old, rich, poor, male or female friends than Ray Moran. He was a collector of many valuable, beautiful things, from corkscrews and glass to rare walking canes, but none were more important than his collection of friends. He set his boundaries in life, playing as hard as he worked. Ray’s example helped me accept and bless my son’s emigration to the US, when I finally realised everything that he, in his turn, had given up for me. I’ll miss you in your chair in our house and will toast a glass of favourite port to your memory this Christmas and the many Christmasses you shared with us.
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Al & Carol Rowinski posted a condolence
Saturday, April 26, 2025
We were sad to hear of Ray’s passing. He was a really nice guy, who enjoyed life. We enjoyed listening to his boating experiences, since we were boaters also. We also golfed in tournaments with him at Paupack Hills. Ray will be greatly missed by his family and friends. RIP, Ray.
Sincerely,
Al & Carol Rowinski
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Bill Davis posted a condolence
Thursday, April 24, 2025
What I knew about Ray.... You were his best friend.... he collected CORKSCREWS so he could go on trips to add to his collection.... Ray ran our Paupack golf group like a General, he was not happy if you were late. Ray loved to be aggravated. And above all, J. Ray Moran, what does the "J" stand for?? His reply..."Anything you want..." RIP Ray!!
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Dorflinger Glass Museum uploaded photo(s)
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
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We are very sorry for your loss. It was always a pleasure to spend time with Ray and Darlene at the Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary. Here is a photo of Ray at the Dorflinger Glass Museum's opening reception on May 22, 2010. Ray collected Dorflinger glass but we didn't know he was a helixophile, a person who collects corkscrews. RIP
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With Love, Cindi, Andreas, Lucas & Justin Roessler planted a tree in memory of John Moran
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
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Its hard to believe that such a strong spirit is ever truly gone. May this living tribute to Uncle Ray embody his spirit & grow strong in his memory. Join in honoring their life - plant a memorial tree
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James Ellsworth posted a condolence
Monday, April 21, 2025
Ray and Darlene were fellow travelers with my late wife Diana as we pursued the “Loop” in 2000. For many years we stayed in touch thru visits both in PA and FL. My deepest condolences to their children and grandchildren.
Jim Ellsworth
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Emma Dilemma posted a condolence
Monday, April 21, 2025
Ray - you were one of the nicest people I've ever known. I'm sure I will see you again. Thanks for doing so much good on Earth. Work on your trivia answers up there! We will miss you!
Love - Emma Dilemma
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Leon Vrijland lit a candle
Sunday, April 20, 2025
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My sincere condoleances for family and friends.
A corkscrew collection club made us connect, and what a fine, social guy Ray was; he helped me, we enjoyed social talk and at the same time got interest in the serious part of live. Ray was loved by all, and I'm glad and previliged that I was able to know Ray and was able to call him a friend. Not only a corkscrew friend, but more than that ! Thanks pal !!
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Wendy Eisenhauer uploaded photo(s)
Sunday, April 20, 2025
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We have wonderful memories of playing golf with Ray and spending good times in South Carolina. Thanks to Ray and Darlene we came to love Pawleys Island. We had great times at Paupack Hills dining together and playing Trivia. Bill will miss Ray’s Golf Men’s League and all the camaraderie. What I will always treasure were Ray’s amazing hugs. God loves you Ray and we’re sure you are with Him and Darlene in heaven.
Wendy and Bill
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The family of John Raymond Moran uploaded a photo
Saturday, April 19, 2025
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A Memorial Tree was planted for John Moran
Saturday, April 19, 2025
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We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at Teeters Funeral Chapel Join in honoring their life - plant a memorial tree
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