Six generations of West Pointers, loyal service to our nation in the U.S. Army, close family relationships: These are the earmarks of who William Montgomery Raymond is. But in the final assessment, Bill was a teacher in the fullest and finest sense of the word. His teaching excellence was recognized over a long career on different levels and in different venues by students, peers and school officials alike.
Bill was born on 8 Apr 1936 at Ft. Jay, NY, an Army brat and the fifth of eight children of COL (Ret., Class of 1923) and Mrs. Allen D. Raymond. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1954 and attended the U.S. Army Preparatory School at Stewart Field, NY. He met his future wife, Elizabeth (Bette) Jayne Lacza in April of 1956, and they were married at West Point on 8 Jun 1960, his graduation day.
They have three children (William Jr., Linda, and James), seven grandchildren (Katie, Kellye, Billy, Samantha, Kyle, Sophie and Charlie), and one great grandchild (Zachary). Bill Jr. ’83, was the sixth generation of his family to attend West Point and is currently a colonel, serving as the director of the Command & General Staff School at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. Linda graduated from New Paltz State Teachers College in New York (as did her mother before her) and is currently an elementary school principal in Salem, OR. Jim graduated from the University of Delaware and is a tax senior manager for Ernst & Young in Philadelphia, PA.
Bill began his career in the Field Artillery with the 82nd Airborne Division and served with the 17th Field Artillery in Korea. He then transferred to the Chemical Corps and was assigned to the U.S. Army Chemical School at Ft. McClellan, AL, as an instructor in chemical operations. In 1967, he was transferred to the 101st Airborne Division and served with that Division in Viet Nam. In February of 1968, during the Tet Offensive, he was transferred to the 3rd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division, where he served as an Infantry officer in the brigade operations center.
Bill returned to Ft. McClellan, AL, as an instructor in chemical operations with the U.S. Army Chemical School. He next was selected to attend the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. Graduating in 1972 with a master’s degree in nuclear physics, he was assigned to a nuclear study team and as an instructor at the Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. In 1976, he was appointed the Nuclear Operations Officer of Allied Forces Northern Europe, serving three years in that capacity in beautiful Oslo, Norway. Returning to the United States in 1979, he was assigned to the Army Nuclear Agency at Ft Belvoir, VA.
Next, he was selected to be a chemistry instructor at West Point, 1981–85, followed by three years as a chemistry instructor at Annapolis, retiring in 1988 with 30 years of dedicated military service.
Bill was selected by Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, PA, to teach both chemistry and physics and did so from 1988 until 2007, when he retired for a second time as chairman of the Science Department. In November of 2007, he was selected to teach general chemistry at Drexel University as an adjunct professor.
His personal awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Army Occupation Medal, two National Defense Service Medals, the Viet Nam Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Viet Nam Cross of Gallantry (Unit Citation), the Viet Nam Cross of Gallantry with Palm (Unit Citation) (2nd Award), the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Senior Parachute Badge. He was awarded the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara in 2008.
His life focus was much on his family and as his son COL Bill Raymond said at his father’s burial at West Point, “My sister and I are both educators today and love teaching due to the impact my dad had on both of us. Dad liked to say that ‘a teacher has failed to teach when a student has not learned.’ Throughout his teaching careers, dad was noted for his many innovative ways of teaching difficult concepts in fun and easy ways. Dad’s simple and favorite phrase, ‘always start with what you know,’ has helped countless students! Teaching was not just about filling a bucket; it was about lighting a fire within each and every student!”
Daughter Linda adds that “Dad imparted the wisdom of ‘no worries.’ He taught me that life happens the way it happens, so you have to live each day like it is your last one, since you never know what a day will bring. I learned to not worry about things I can’t control and to put them in God’s hands.” Son Jim fondly recalls that “I learned from my dad the traits of being a great dad: love, compassion, patience, fairness, fun and always being willing to teach and then play games and sports. As long as I follow Dad’s example, I know Sophie and her future brothers and sisters will be well taken care of and reflect back on me with their own fond memories 30 years from now.”
Bette and my wife Ruth met up at Camp Buckner yearling summer and commuted together to WP from Long Island almost every weekend for three years. Both couples often spent time together during those weekends. Later, while Bill was first in Korea and later in Viet Nam, Bette and children lived on Long Island near us. This provided an opportunity for both families to visit often and grow their friendship over six decades.
Bill, well done; be thou at peace.
—Bob Clancy ’60 and Bill, Jr. ’83