Raymond G. Wheat Jr.

SCHENECTADY - Raymond Wheat Jr., passed away Tuesday, March 26 at Ellis Hospital after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife of 20 years Annette (Valentino) Wheat, daughters Stephanie (Cormac McEvoy) Wheat, Jacqueline (Donald) Paul, Caitlin Wheat; grandchildren Moira, Eamonn, and Aisling McEvoy, Bo, and Joceline Paul; sisters Gail Crawford and Charlene Cashara, Uncle Billy Dardanelli (the brother he never had) and loyal companion Cooper. Ray was predeceased by his parents Raymond Wheat Sr. and Shirley (Langdon) Wheat, loyal companions Zack and Harley, and his beloved mother-in-law Mary Valentino. After graduating from Newburgh Free Academy, he joined the Coast Guard from 1974 – 1976 and was then self-employed as a general contractor for a number of years under the name Wheat’s Enterprises. Ray was then employed at West Point as a civilian engineer tech for 23 years. When he met the love of his life, Annette, he moved to the Capital District and transferred to the Naval Base in Saratoga where he served as facilities manager for 12 years. After retirement, he took a part-time job with the Morale Welfare and Recreation unit in Milton where he maintained the various pieces of recreational equipment for the troops. The last stop in his employment journey took him to Guam this past year, where he worked for iParametrics serving as a contractor planner/estimator assessing the work required to restore buildings damaged by the 140 MPH winds of Typhoon Mawar. Ray was the quintessential handyman who could build or fix anything. He had the vision to see what a renovation could look like, and the talent to make it come to fruition. For example, when he and Annette moved into their home in Schenectady, he took down walls and expanded a tiny kitchen into the porch. It was both beautiful and functional. He loved working with his hands and he loved being busy. He would make gifts like a spice rack, or use his lathe to make pens to give to a doctor’s office. Even in the week before his passing, he asked to be wheeled over to the sink so he could fix a leaky faucet (which he did fix!). He also loved camping, the beach, target shooting, and playing golf with Uncle Billy, so much so that he and Annette decided to start the Dardanelli Family Golf Outing. He was a very loving co-caretaker with Annette of her mother Mary, patiently taking her to hair appointments and hours-long grocery outings with a magnifying glass so he could read Mary every single ingredient to make sure nothing contained honey which she was deathly allergic to. Ray was also very supportive and proud of Annette’s ministry as a Dominican Associate of Peace with the Dominican Retreat and Conference Center, even helping her in the kitchen when she cooked for retreats or by flipping burgers at DRCC picnics. His sense of humor always kept Annette and those around him laughing, and he was an eternal optimist to whom any challenge was merely a bump in the road. The family is very grateful to the many caretakers along the way, especially his primary care physician Dr. Luis Diaz, and his cardiologist Dr. Stephen Piacentine, who went above and beyond in his care for Ray. In lieu of flowers please consider contributions to the Dominican Retreat and Conference Center at 1945 Union St, Niskayuna, NY 12309 Attn: Sr Sue Zemgulis, or the Animal Protective Foundation, 53 Maple Avenue, Glenville, NY 12302. Services will be held on Wednesday, April 3 from 9-11 at Rossi and Ditoro Funeral Home on 501 Union St. in Schenectady, followed by interment at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, 100 Kings Rd., Schenectady.

Raymond G. Wheat Jr.

March 29, 1951 - March 26, 2024