Obituary For Raymond Oscar Endicott February 16, 1924 - May 7, 2015 Raymond O. Endicott died May 7, 2015, at John F. Keever, Jr., Solace Center in Asheville, NC. He was a native of Evansville, Indiana, and the son of Donna Condon and Oscar J. Endicott. Raymond was an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church and was mentored during his two early church appointments by Bishop Nolan B. Harmon and Dr. J. Clay Madison. He served Eagle Falls UM Church for 2 years and Meadow View UM Church for 8 years. Later, he was appointed as the Associate Minister at the Leaksville UM Church, Eden, NC. Raymond married Iva Campbell of Leaksville in 1944, his surviving life partner. Also surviving are daughter, Donna Endicott Hailey and husband William of Eden, and son, Commander David C. Endicott, USN (Ret), of Springfield, VA. Surviving grandchildren are Jennifer S Strader (Andy) of Danville, VA; Scott Shively of Greensboro, NC; Sara S Smith (John) of Eden; Leslie E Salinas (Dr. Thomas Salinas) of Spring Hill, FL; Allison Endicott of Tampa, FL; and Kate E Thomsen of Richmond, VA. Great-grandchildren are Bethany, Alexandra, and Andrew Strader of Danville; Felicity and Ethan Smith, Eden; David and Charlotte Salinas of Spring Hill; Campbell Endicott of Tampa; and Julia Thomsen of Richmond. Raymond served six years in the US Navy in World War II as a Radioman and aerial gunner in Douglas Dive Bomber SDB-3?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s and Torpedo planes. He participated in many Naval Air/Sea engagements and campaigns in the European-African (Northwest Africa and Algeria-Morocco) and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters, including engagements in Guadalcanal, New Georgia, Palau, New Guinea, and Leyte Gulf PI. He participated in twenty-one bombing missions against enemy positions and two bombing missions against enemy shipping. He was awarded the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross, the Navy Air Medal with two Gold Stars, the European-African-Middle Eastern Area and Asiatic?¢‚Ǩ‚ÄúPacific Area Campaign Medals, the Air Crew Insignia with three stars, the Navy Good Conduct Ribbon, and other citations and campaign clasps. He received an Honorable Discharge from the Navy in January 1947. Prior to coming to Givens Estates in Asheville, Raymond and his family resided in Eden, NC, where he was active in many service clubs and organizations, and was a member of the Leaksville UM Church for many years. He was a Master Mason, a Shriner, and was also a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. In Asheville, his services included: volunteering in the Chaplain?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Program at the Asheville VA Hospital; counselor in the ABCCM; food preparations in the ABCCM Feeding Program; and the Medical Ministry. He served 4 years in the Senior Tar Heel Legislature in Raleigh. In 1999, he received the Kathleen Godwin Cole Award as Outstanding Older Adult Volunteer, presented by the Land-Of-Sky Regional Council, Area Agency on Aging. Raymond served as Treasurer and President of the Givens Estates Resident Council. He was a member of Central UM Church Asheville and a Sunday School teacher of the Covenant Class. Raymond retired from Fieldcrest Cannon, after 41 years, as a Division Vice President of Industrial Engineering, Traffic and Distribution. In December 2014, Mr. and Mrs. Endicott celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary. In Raymond?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Memory, the family requests that memorials can be made to either of the following: Leaksville United Methodist Church, Endowment Fund, 603 Henry St, Eden, NC 27288; or, to John F Keever, Jr., Solace Center, Care Partners Foundation, PO Box 5779, Asheville NC 28813. A memorial service is planned in Asheville, NC, at Givens Estates, for Saturday, May 16, at 11:00 AM in the Norma F. Pulliam Chapel. A graveside memorial and interment is planned for Saturday, May 30, at 11:00 AM at Lawson Cemetery, Eden, NC, assisted by Fair Funeral Home of Eden.