Raphael "Ray" Joseph Janer's Obituary
Raphael "Ray" Joseph Janer, passed away peacefully on March 2, 2016, eight days before his 97th birthday, at Brandywine Senior Living in Rehoboth Beach, DE, from Alzheimer's disease.
Ray was born, Rafael Jose Janer, on March 10, 1919 in Brooklyn, NY, son of the late Andres Pierre Janer from Barcelona, Spain and Maria Gonzalez Janer from Ovieto, Spain, both of whom immigrated to America in 1917. He was the first of his family to be born in the United States.
As a youth, he lived in Flushing, NY. In 1940, Ray joined the Army and in 1941, he transferred to the Army Air Corps, where he served as a B26 Bomber pilot, flying several missions over Germany in the European Theater in April of 1945, for which he earned two Air Medals and two Battle Citations. Ray was honorably discharged as a Captain in the Air Force Reserves in May of 1955.
Ray began his career as a Transportation Executive working for National Folding Box Company in New Haven, CT. He later became a General Traffic Manager working for Penn Dixie Cement Corporation in Manhattan, NY, then worked as Senior Traffic Manager for the American Short Line Railroad Association both in New York and Washington D.C., and finally retired as a Co-Owner of Denenholz & Janer, Inc.
Ray was active in many transportation organizations including becoming an Honorary Member of the Traffic Club of New York Inc. and an Honorary Life Member of the National Industrial Transportation League. He served as a past President of the Delta Nu Alpha Transportation Fraternity, New York Chapter, and he also practiced with the Association of Interstate Commerce Commission Practitioners, New York Chapter.
In addition to his parents, Ray was preceded in death by his sister, Mary J. Wakefield, from New Orleans, LA. He is survived by his long-estranged wife, Edith Garvin Janer of Lewes, DE; his daughter, Denise J. Irwin (Jeff) of Lewes, DE; his granddaughter, Jennifer I. Blakeney (Ray) of Rehoboth Beach DE; his great-grandson, Raven Blakeney of Rehoboth Beach, DE; his brother, Andrew Janer of East Haven, CT; his longtime companion, Dorothy Puchol of Brooklyn, NY; and many nieces and nephews both in CT, NY and LA.
The family wishes to extend their sincere appreciation to the staff at Brandywine Senior Living in Rehoboth Beach for their excellent care provided to Mr. Janer over the past 14 months and to Vitas Hospice Care for their additional care over the past two weeks.
Ray's remains will be placed in the Pinelawn Memorial Park in the Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, NY.
All services will be private. Arrangements by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes, DE.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Ray's memory to a veteran’s charity of your choice.
Please sign the guestbook located on this site.
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