Obituary
August 29, 1925 – February 13, 2022 (Superbowl Sunday)
Raymond W. Salm, Jr. was born at his home on the Boulevard in Westfield, NJ and died at his home in Palm Coast, FL.
A graduate of Westfield High School (NJ), he entered World War II at the tender young age of 18 and served in the Army Air Corps as a Second Lieutenant Navigator. He was part of the 9th AF Pacific Operation that landed with 19 other B-29 planes at Holloman AFB in Alamogordo. He separated from the service at Mitchel Field on January 31, 1946. He was awarded the American Campaign Medal for performing military service in the American Theater of Operations. Almost seventy years later, he was accepted to fly with the Honor Flight in 2013 and joined 10 other Veteran military members on a trip to the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Ray entered Lafayette College after the war where he played football and pledged Phi Kappa Psi. He transferred to the University of Pennsylvania to obtain his Dental Degree. He married a Westfield High School graduate, Millicent M. Caulfield on 4/16/49. They moved to Red Bank, NJ after his residency in Florida and opened Ray’s dental practice. He continued to perfect his dental skills and had a successful business for 30 years. The family moved to Shrewsbury when they outgrew the Red Bank family home. He continued to fly as a private pilot and took many trips with friends and his family in his shared Piper Comanche (4 at a time!). Ray and Millicent shared 71 years together; raising their 6 children, travelling the USA, the world and finally setting roots in Queen Valley, AZ for 35 years before relocating to FL in 2019 to be closer to family. Ray was an active golfer, bridge player (including doubles) and a friend to all.
Ray is preceded in death by his wife, Millicent, and his parents, Raymond Welch Salm, Sr. and Katherine Wilhelmena Dryer Salm. Ray is survived by his sister Margery Salm Hudson, his children Raymond Welch Salm III, Madelyn “Lynn” Welch Salm-Smith (Dion), Jeffrey Weston Salm (Cathy), Leslie Jane Salm Williams (Hinton), John Bradford Salm (Kim) and Alison Salm Wollman (Henry). He has six grandchildren: Kerry, Justin, Corry, Mick (Astrid), Chris, James and a great granddaughter Sonia Lea Wollman. He is also survived by 7 nieces and nephews.
Services will be private and with family. In loving memory of Ray, get an education if you can, always pursue your dreams, never become stagnant, share your smile often and make a new friendship. We miss him madly. Another member of the greatest generation!
My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
Patti McGrath Homefield