Raymond P. “Ray” Bajdo

Ray was born July 19, 1927, in Dunkirk, N.Y., a son to the late Filip and Margaret (Jankiewicz) Bajdo. His mother had died when he was still an infant so Ray went on to live at the Newton Memorial Hospital, in Cassadaga, N.Y., where he lived in the Children’s Pavilion until graduating from Cassadaga Valley High School in the class of 1944.

He was too young to enlist in the regular armed forces, so he joined the U.S. Maritime Service. He became a chief radio officer aboard the Merchant Marine ships at the age of 17. He served aboard Liberty Ships in the South Pacific during World War II and later in the North Atlantic, ferrying Marshall Plan materials to Europe. He continued his merchant marine service through 1953, delivering ammunition to Korea when he was finally drafted into the U.S. Army, working as a radioman during the Korean War. A car crash ended his Army career, and he spent 15 months at Valley Forge Army Hospital getting reassembled.

Ray attended the University of Buffalo for a couple of years utilizing the GI Bill, and became employed in 1957 at the Ajax Flexible Coupling Company in Westfield, N.Y., which later became Renold Inc. and from which he retired in 1989. He began as a drafting room clerk and worked his way up to marketing administrator.

He married his brother’s widow, Edna Marie (Dascomb) Bajdo on July 23, 1968. They celebrated 48 years of marriage before she passed away in 2016.

Ray was known for the pride he took in being a World War II and Korean War veteran, and for the funny shirts he liked to wear. He enjoyed keeping up with Facebook friends and the attention he got from all over for the weekly “Sunday Dinner with Dad” posts.

In addition to his wife Edna, Ray was predeceased their daughter, Janet Bajdo Kell; grandson, Andrew Lundquist; his sister, Helen Jablonski; and his brother, Henry Bajdo.

He is survived by his loving children: Clair (Paulette) Bajdo Sr. of Mayville, N.Y., Susan Sortore of Westfield, N.Y., and Patri-cia (Richard) Lundquist of Jamestown, N.Y.; his faithful caregiver, Cheryl Bourne. Further survived by his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

There will be no visitation or service at this time, Ray’s family will hold a celebration of life to be announced at a later date with burial in the Westfield Cemetery where full military honors will be accorded.

Ray graciously donated his body to the University of Buffalo’s Anatomical Gift Program because he wanted to be “a working stiff.”

Memorial contributions in honor of Ray may be given to the charity of one’s choice or, to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 331 Alberta Drive 106, Buffalo, NY 14226.

Funeral arrangements are being cared for by the MORSE Funeral Home, 51 Highland Ave. Brocton, NY 14716.

To leave Ray’s family a message of sympathy or to share a remembrance, please log on to; www.themorsefuneralhome.com