Raymond R. Twomey
Feb. 7, 1938 – July 24, 2019
Raymond (Ray) Twomey, father, composer, artist, fly fisher and traveller, died painlessly at 12:15 pm, Wednesday, July 24 while listening to Ode to Joy at the Peter Lougheed Centre, in Calgary, Alberta.
Ray was born just before World War 2, in Camborne, Cornwall to Thomas and Nora Twomey of Cork, Ireland. The war years were difficult and in 1946 the small family emigrated to New Zealand.
Ray kept many fond memories of the Wellington area, but also struggled his entire life due to the trauma of abuse in a Catholic Boarding School.
After graduating with a degree in music, he boarded a ship and sailed to England where Ray taught and then met his wife of 38 years, Catherine Schor (née Rivers) from Canada.
Ray moved to Vancouver, Canada with his fiancé in 1965. Their first son, Graham was born in 1970 followed by Patrick in 1971. In 1975 the family moved to Alberta.
Ray switched careers to finance, but never lost his passion for music. When Ray retired he set about travelling the world – visiting at least 130 countries, first avoiding Alberta winters in Latin America (where he studied Spanish) and then relocating to Victoria, BC.
His time in Victoria was perfect. Ray quickly developed a meaningful social life and sat on his 7th floor balcony sipping wine and watching the ocean. Despite exercising everyday, studying and participating in academic meet-up groups, dementia took hold and Ray moved back to Canmore in 2017.
As his condition deteriorated Ray was moved to a facility in Calgary. While virtually non-verbal, Ray’s humour never failed him. His grandson Finn would play the piano for Ray, and he enjoyed walking and later being pushed in his wheelchair.
Ray will be dearly remembered by his sons Graham and Patrick, his grandson Finn, daughter-in-law, Sarah, his sister Trish & brother-in-law Vincent, nieces Charlotte and Isabel, along with many more people near and far.
The family wishes to sincerely thank Shanika for her kind and compassionate care of Ray, the St. Teresa’s Place Kindness East team, as well as Peter Lougheeed Centre ER and Unit 38 staff.
The family will be establishing a bursary in Ray’s name and would therefore ask for donations rather than flowers.
Celebration of Life will take place August 3.
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