Obituary of Raymond Leo Champagne

Raymond Leo Champagne, 90, of California and formerly of Peabody, died Monday at the Beth Israel Hospital in Boston with his family at his side. He was the husband of the late Nathalie (Barry) Champagne. He was born in Peabody, Ma on April 13, 1925, the son of the late Arthur B. and Auralie (Gagnon) Champagne and was raised and educated here. He entered the U S Navy in 1942 and served in the Asiatic- Pacific regions aboard the first aircraft carrier USS Bennington and later the USS Card and received many citations. He returned home to start with his brother Henry, the Champagne Brothers Service Station on Lowell St. Peabody and later on Main St. for over 40 years prior to his retirement. In 1950, Ray was recalled into service for the Navy in the Korean War and served at the Naval War College until his discharge in 1951. He was an active member of the Peabody Chamber of Commerce, the Leo Council # 508 Knights of Columbus and was a member of the Board of the Citizens Bank of Peabody. He was also a member of the VFW Post 1011 of Peabody. Ray had a love of horses and was an established horse rider and jockey and an expert thoroughbred horse breeder. For the past 10 years Ray had resided in Hemet, Riverside County, California before returning to Salem, MA a year ago. He is survived by his children and spouses: Robert L. Champagne, retired City of Peabody police chief of Peabody, James R. and his wife Linda Champagne of Albany, ME Diane Steel of Raymond, NH, Mary and her husband Paul Anzalone of Epping, NH, Therese and her husband Richard Eisner of Salem, MA and Paula Champagne-Pretty and her husband Harold of No Reading, MA, B Brother Rev. Robert E. Champagne of the Marist Order of Waltham, 9 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He was the father of the late Joseph A. Champagne and the brother of the late, Arthur, Henry, Lucien Patrick and Thomas Champagne and Amelda Brown, Marie A. Powers and Eliza Champagne. A visitation will be held on Wednesday from 4:00 until 8:00 PM at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home at the 82 Lynn Street - Peabody Facility. His funeral will be held on Thursday at 8:00 AM from the Funeral Home followed by a Funeral Mass in St. John’s Church, 16 Church St., Peabody at 9:00 AM. Interment will be in the Veterans lot in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Peabody. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project, 150 Cambridge Park Dr., Suite 202, Cambridge, MA 02140 or to the VFW Natl. Headquarters, 406 West 34th St., Kansas City Mo. 64111 in his memory.