ROCKLAND — Raymond Harden Fogarty, 96, died May 16, 2017, at the Knox Center for Long Term Care in Rockland. Born in Rockland on June 21, 1920, he was the son of Daniel Raymond and Ruth Harden Fogarty. With a short exception for World War II, Ray was a lifelong resident of Rockland, with many winters spent in Englewood, Fla.

Raymond was a 1938 graduate of Rockland High School, and attended Bates College before enlisting in the Navy, where he ultimately became a radioman on the USS Compton. Upon completion of his military service, he returned to his home in Rockland, where he began his first stint with the U.S. Postal Service. This is also the time when he met his wife, (Grace) Ruth Witham, and they made their home on Broadway, where they raised their three sons and where Ray would live for nearly 70 years.

After wrapping up his time as a mail carrier, Ray owned Ralph Nutt's Shoe Store on Main Street in Rockland. After a few years in the shoe business, Ray opted to try his hand at lobstering around Large Green Island. Because of his proclivity to avoid the often-heavy seas eight miles offshore, Ray was bequeathed with the apt nickname "Flat Calm," which assuredly described the seas on days when Ray would make the trek to the island to lobster. After lobstering for a time, Ray returned to the USPS, where he ultimately rose to be post master of the Belfast post office, one of the prouder moments of Ray's professional career.

Upon retirement from the USPS, Ray began a long affiliation with the Samoset Resort, where he was a ranger/starter for many years, and where he built many important and lasting relationships with co-workers and guests alike. In 2009, Ray was profiled in the Boston Herald for his length of service (26 years at the time) and dedication to the Samoset. During this time, Ray honed his golf ball tracking skills to the point that he often had (literally) thousands of balls squirelled away in his barn, or any other open space in his house, much to the chagrin of his patient wife.

Raymond was predeceased by his wife, (Grace) Ruth in 2005; his son, Allen in 2011; and his brother, Robert. He is survived by two sons, Daniel and his partner, Debra Rahkonen, of Rockland, and Kerry and his wife, Jackie, of Englewood, Fla.; his daughter-in-law, Madolin Fogarty of Rockland; two sisters-in-law, Gloria Witham of Rockland and Helen Fogarty of Owls Head; eight grandchildren, Corey (Susan) Fogarty of Scarborough, Sean (Jessica) Fogarty of Rockland, Jasmine Fogarty of Newark, Del., Alicia (Sean) Stumpf of Abilene, Texas, Christie Fogarty and Lyndsay Fogarty, both of Orlando, Fla., Stephanie Fogarty and her fiancé, Essie Ross, of Thomaston, and Danielle (Adam) Griffin of Warren; nine great-grandchildren, Alex, Carter, Jordan, Quinn, Nate, Gianna, Aaron, Amelia, Essie and two on the way; as well as many nieces and nephews.

At Ray's request, there will be no service.

If desired, memorial gifts may be made in Raymond's memory to Pope Memorial Humane Society of Knox County, P.O. Box 1294, Rockland, ME 04841.