Obituary of Raymond H. Skoglund

Raymond H. Skoglund, aged 80, of Glastonbury, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on July 17, 2023. He was the beloved husband of Claire (McElroy) Skoglund for nearly 57 years.

Ray was born on February 24, 1943 in Astoria, Queens, NY. He was the son of the late Gustav and Lillian (Johnson) Skoglund of Sweden. He attended Stuyvesant High School in NYC and Upsala College in East Orange, NJ and attained his CPA in 1968. Ray was an accomplished baseball and basketball player in his youth. His career in finance began with Price Waterhouse in NYC followed by Schlumberger, which took him and Claire to live twice each in London and Paris as well as St. Joseph, Michigan. The position of Vice President Finance and Administration at Teleco Oilfield Services brought them to settle in Glastonbury in 1981. In 1999, Ray joined Laz Parking where he held various financial positions, including CFO, until his retirement as VP/Treasurer in 2019. His time at Laz and the relationships he made were the highlights of his professional career and those friendships continue to this day. Nobody enjoyed the Laz social events as much as Ray, especially the Halloween costume competitions. He was honored to be inducted into the Laz Hall of Fame in 2016.

Ray’s business career provided opportunities for him and Claire to travel the world, which they continued to do for pleasure throughout their marriage. Apart from his family, his other joys in life were tennis, golf, gardening, UCONN women’s basketball, and showing off his dance moves at weddings. Ray especially enjoyed vacations and gatherings at the family cottage in Snug Harbor, RI. He also cherished Swedish Christmas Eve traditions with his cousins and their families. He was one of the brave few that ate lutefisk every year.

Ray is survived by his cherished wife, Claire, and their children and their spouses that he loved like his own: Mark and Kristen (Bender) Skoglund of Guilford, CT; Kristen and Steven Donohue of Easton, MA; and Meridith and Jonathan Frick of Glastonbury. He was the beloved “FarFar” to eight grandchildren of whom he was so proud: Lauren, Brendan and Justin Skoglund; Katherine, Taylor, and Adam Donohue; and Avery and Darren Frick. He took great pleasure in watching his children and grandchildren compete in various sports and activities. Ray also leaves behind dear cousins, Claire’s family, and many friends here and abroad.

Claire and family would like to thank Dr. Todd Alekshun and all of the wonderful medical staff in his office and the infusion center at CB2 at Hartford Hospital for the amazing care given to Ray. They also thank the dozens of anonymous blood donors who helped Ray manage his illness.

We will honor Ray with a Celebration of Life on Sunday, August 6 at 12:00 PM at the Boathouse (252 Welles Street, Glastonbury). Summer casual attire. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a charity of your choice. For online condolences, visit mulryanfh.com.