Raymond Palladino

Raymond Thomas Palladino
September 6, 1932 - September 11, 2015

Raymond Thomas Palladino, 83, passed peacefully on September 11, 2015, in Waco, Texas. His life and legacy were honored with a private graveside ceremony with military honors at Oakwood Cemetery on September 12, 2015.

Ray was born on September 6, 1932, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to Dominic and Rose Palladino.

Ray was a Wyoming Seminary student in Kingston, Pennsylvania, from September of 1951 until May of 1952. In March of 1953, Ray joined the United States Air Force where he proudly served his country as a Major. He was awarded an Honorable Discharge in September of 1972 as a testimonial for his honest and faithful service. In April of 1956, Ray married his wife of 59 years, Susi, and together they had three children.

Ray received his law degree from Baylor University Law School and practiced law in Waco for 50 years. He was licensed to practice before the U.S. Tax Court, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. He was also a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Waco-McLennan County Bar Association.

Ray is recognized in the Waco Skeet and Trap Club Hall of Fame for being a State, National, and World Skeet Champion. As one skeet shooter recently said, Ray is "probably the best skeet shooter to ever come out of Central Texas." To share his expertise, Ray taught skeet shooting as a physical education credit at Baylor University.

As an avid hunter and fisherman, Ray spent many joy-filled days in the field and on the water both domestic and international. He loved his Bosque County ranch known as Coon Creek Ranch and enjoyed the peace and serenity of building and repairing fences, feeding and corralling cattle, plowing the field, and watching the sunsets.

Ray was preceded in death by his beloved parents, his brother, Patrick Palladino, and his sister, Lonnie Murray.

Left to cherish his memory, Ray is survived by his loving wife, Susi; their three children, who are honored and blessed to call him Father, his son, Jeffrey Palladino, and daughter-in-law, Barbie, of Temple; his daughter, Lori Palladino, of Waco; and his daughter, Christi Schwarz, and son-in-law, Robert, of Houston; his brother, Larry Palladino, of Arizona, and his brother, Gene Palladino, and sister-in-law, Lorraine, of Pennsylvania; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Ray has also been blessed with many dear friends and colleagues who have been a source of true friendship and companionship over the years.

The Palladino family specially acknowledges and deeply thanks Candace Cox, Tommie Estrada, Erika Mills, Beverly Pilgrim, Janet Reed, Shayla Scott, Ruth Turbin, Angela Willis, Providence Home Health, Providence Hospice, and Jon Searles with Right At Home for being the angels on earth for our family who so lovingly and selflessly cared for Ray. The family is also thankful for the medical care provided by Dr. James Hodges. We thank our Heavenly Father who has been most faithful and merciful in our time of tremendous loss and grief. We accept and receive His plan for our lives and hold onto His promise of eternal life.

The Palladino family would like to designate Mission Waco Legal Services and Samaritan's Purse for memorials in honor of Ray.