Ray L. Sheldon, a long time resident of Stony Point, has just celebrated his 100th birthday on March 17. He was born in Jersey City, NJ, and was married to Eleanor (Stalter) for 66 years before she passed away in May 2009.
In Ray’s early years, he lived with his parents and brother in Richmond Hill, Queens, and in 1932 the Family moved to Fort Montgomery, where his paternal grandparents lived.
The Sheldon family was among the first settlers in the Hudson Highlands. He graduated from Highland Falls High School in 1936, and that same year began his career with Exxon in NYC, attending Columbia University night classes taking architectural courses.
Ray was drafted in 1941 and assigned to the Army Air Corps in Mitchell Field, L.I. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, his one year draft enrollment turned out to be four and a half years of active duty. While still in the Service, he and Eleanor were married. Upon his discharge from the Army as a tech sergeant, he resumed his position with Exxon as a draftsman in the Construction and Maintenance Dept. in NYC. Later, he was promoted to a field engineer working in the NYC District, the Westchester District, and Northern New Jersey District. He supervised the construction of many new service stations and tankage and was also responsible for much of the modernization projects at the various bulk terminals in the many districts he worked in. Ray retired from Exxon in 1982, after 45 years of service with the company.
Eleanor and Ray had four children: Nancy (Huth), Donald, Kenneth, and Robert as well as 11 grand children and 12 great-grand children.
Ray has been a life member of the Stony Point Ambulance Corps, serving as captain and board member. For many years, he was a Deacon at the Tomkins Cove Memorial Church, and later at the Grace Church in Suffern.
A birthday party was held in his honor near Syracuse, attended by extended family, close friends and members of the congregation of the Auburn Alliance Church. Later that day, a catered dinner was enjoyed with his immediate family and close friends.
