Raymond C. Firestone, Xerox Co. retiree
Raymond Charles Firestone, 87, of Rehoboth Beach, formerly of Frederick, Md., passed away peacefully Monday, Feb. 2, 2015, at Brandywine Assisted Living Seaside Pointe facility, where he had been a resident since July 2014.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., he was the youngest of three children of the late John Henry Firestone and Clara Frances Sippel. After earning his bachelor’s degree in finance from Niagara University, Mr. Firestone began his career at American Express. He later joined Xerox Corp. in Rochester, N.Y., and held positions of increasing responsibility with the company in Columbus, Ohio, Stamford, Conn. and in Leesburg, Va., where he served as comptroller of the company’s former training facility. While with Xerox, Mr. Firestone earned a master’s degree in business administration from Loyola University.
After retiring from Xerox in 1992, Mr. Firestone and his wife Dorothy moved from their longtime home in Potomac, Md., to Frederick. Mr. Firestone remained in Frederick following his wife’s death in 2004, and moved to Rehoboth Beach in 2011 with his daughter Joanne Harrigan.
Mr. Firestone served in the U.S. Army as an artillery survey specialist during the Korean War.
He enjoyed travel, golf, collegiate sports and storytelling, and is remembered by his friends for his kindness, his sense of humor and his love of sweets. He was an active member of the Xerox Retiree Club and the American Legion.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Dorothy (McCabe); and his brothers, Edward and Donald. Survivors include a son, Thomas (Susan) Firestone of Clarksburg, Md.; three daughters, Joanne (Peter) Harrigan of Rehoboth Beach, Patricia (William) Brown of Frederick, and Donna (Randy) Zirkle of Vienna, Va.; and eight grandchildren, Patricia (Jamarr) Staples, Sean (Kim) Firestone, Thomas Firestone, Katelyn Brown, Daniel Zirkle, Megan Brown, Kelly Zirkle and Nicholas Zirkle.
The family wishes to extend its special appreciation to the staff at Brandywine Assisted Living; to Dr. Carmelo DiSalvo; and to Ray’s many friends at his favorite restaurants, Dos Locos and 1776.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, Feb. 6, at 11 a.m., at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Frederick, with Father Stephen Gosnell officiating. Burial will be at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements were coordinated by the Stauffer Funeral Home in Frederick, assisted by Parsell Funeral Home, Lewes.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that friends consider donations to the American Cancer Society or the Hospice of Frederick County.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.staufferfuneralhome.com
