Raymond Joseph Loiselle, D.D.S., Lt. Col. USAF Retired military, passed away on December 24th, 2007, at 87 years of age. Funeral services were held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, January 4, 2008 at Florida National Cemetery. His family both mourns his loss and celebrates his life.
Two days after Ray?s 21st birthday, Pearl Harbor endured its infamous attack, and immediately, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and became expert as an airman. He flew out of both MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, and Randolph Field in San Antonio, Texas. During his distinguished United States Air Force career, Lt. Col. Loiselle was a command navigator, bombardier, and pilot of the B-24 ?Liberator? and the B-36 ?Peacemaker?. In 1945, the dashing young aviator from North Hampton, Massachusetts met his Southern belle sweetheart, Mary Nell Hunter. They married the following year and would have celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on January 6th, 2008.
The Lt. Col., in his lifelong quest for new frontiers, endeavored to begin a residency in the Veteran’s Administration where he was able to care for members of the military, his second family. Raymond?s unquenchable thirst for knowledge led to a stint as Director of Dental Services at the V.A. Research Hospital in Chicago, and later, Director of the Dental Department at Hines V.A. Hospital, the world’s largest dental clinic. During this time, he served as a professor at Northwestern, Loyola, and the University of Illinois Schools of Medicine, concurrently. In what remained of his free time, he helped found The American College of Prosthodontists, and proudly served as their first President. The organization, now thousands strong, continues today, and saw fit to honor Dr. Loiselle at the Tampa Hyatt during their annual convention ten years ago.
He leaped at the opportunity to move from Chicago to Tampa, staffing
and equipping the first dental services at James A. Haley Veteran’s Hospital, as well as the outpatient clinics at Bay Pines and Ft. Myers. He was also one of the founding professors at the University of South Florida’s School of Medicine and was thrilled at the outcome for Tampa and the veterans he continued to care for.
His wife Mary Nell Hunter Loiselle, son Jay Hunter Loiselle, daughters Mary Loiselle Choate and husband Brian, Michelle Loiselle, and grandson Hunter Loiselle survive him.
Immediate family members attended the service at the Florida National Cemetery, with Captain Art Nave and the Marion County Military Honor Guard, officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The James A. Haley Fisher House GPF9154, 13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612 in the memory of Dr. Raymond J. Loiselle, Lt. Col., USAF-Retired. The Fisher House generously offers the much-needed service of providing housing for the loved ones of soldiers undergoing treatment.
To The Loiselle Familly:
I was saddened to hear of the sudden loss of Ray. I am thinking about you during this difficult time and sending my heartfelt sympathy.
Brett Steele