Born in Moncton, N.B. to J. Alexis Roy (merchant) and Anna McLaughlan-Michaud, Raymond enjoyed an enhancing scholastic formation. Awarded the Governor General silver medal for the highest provincial standing in Grade 10, provincial matriculation leader the following year, he was granted a Lord Beaverbrook scholarship to UNB where he graduated as an Electrical Engineer in 1952 with top marks. Winner of a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University he graduated in 1955 with a degree in economics and political science.
He joined the Foreign Service in that year and for the next 34 years made important contributions to his country. During his career, he was assigned to diplomatic posts in Brussels, Caracas, Bonn, Geneva, Algiers and Berlin. In 1978, he became the first Acadian to be appointed Ambassador. He served as deputy Head of the Canadian Mission to the European Community, Consul and Resident Head of the Canadian Military Mission in Berlin, was a member of the Canadian Delegation to the Gatt Tokyo Round in Geneva and Ambassador to Algeria.
Married in 1959 to his Belgian wife Marie-Claire Laterre, he is survived by her and children Dominique (David), Stéphanie (Annie-Claude) and Alexis and grand-children Cédric, Danièle and Nicolas, his sister Mafalda, as well as his nieces and nephews Pierre-François, Hubert, Christine, Emmanuelle, Geoffroy and Amélie.
Completely bilingual in the best Canadian tradition, Ray maintained a distinct spiritual loyalty to his Acadian roots. He was a faithful subscriber to NAC from the beginning, dabbled in tennis and loved to sail near the family cottage at Grand Lake in Val-des-Monts or on the Golfe de St. Tropez and swim from the rear deck of his Etap 20 near La Madrague (France).
He is to be interred in Beechwood Cemetary following a private family service. A Memorial Service for Raymond will be held at Beechwood Cemetery, 280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa, on Thursday, July 14 at 10:00 am, followed by a reception.
In Memoriam donations may be made to The Beaverbrook Scholars Award fund, University of New Brunswick. https://donations.helpforcharities.com/unbdonation/?dept_id=beaverbrooksch
Digital Guestbook
Nancy McDonald
France Blackburn
Mes plus sincères condoléances à la famille. J’ai côtoyé Raymond à mes débuts aux Affaires Mondiales Canada.
Mathieu Jean
C’était un homme exceptionnel, riche d’esprit, de culture, de savoirs et d’une grande humanité.
Mes plus sincères condoléances à la famille
micheline auclair
Chère Stéphanie,
C'est avec tristesse que j'ai appris le décès de ton père. Je te présente ainsi qu'à ta famille mes plus sincères condoléances
En ces jours de deuil, je devine la peine que tu ressens et le vide que tu dois éprouver dans ton cœur. Sache que tu peux compter sur moi. N’hésite pas à m’appeler si je peux t’aider de quelque manière que ce soit.
Avec toute mon amitié
Micheline Auclair
Pat Royds
My sympathy Marie Claire
You and family are on my thoughts and prayers
Marcus Brady (son of Philip and Marian
Our family was very fortunate to have known and grown up next door alongside the Roy’s. Now 50+ years later we are neighbors once again with Raymond and Marie-Claire hosting and sharing generously. Thank you all for your kindness to our family and camaraderie at Foreign / External Affairs
Maria Catana
My sincere condolences to Marie-Claire and family.
Peg Herbert
Marie-Claire and family - we are all so sad with you to have lost such a fine husband and father. Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers and are here whenever you need support.
Nicholas and Dilshad Macklem
We are both very sad to lose M. Roy (as we always liked to call him). We’ll miss his cheerfulness, his warm smile and happy laugh. He found everything so interesting and was curious about the world, which meant conversation was always lively and bright. We’ll miss him. We’re grateful to have known him for nearly 35 years. Our love and sympathies are with his family.
Lorraine Duquette
À mon amie Stéphanie
Je te présente mes plus sincères condoléances ainsi qu’à ta famille. Ayant connu ton papa Raymond, je peux dire que c’était un homme très sympathique et généreux. Il aimait et acceptait ses enfants et il adorait sa femme Marie-Claire, ta maman. Je garde de très beaux souvenirs dans mon coeur. Cette perte te fera sentir très triste, mais je suis là.
Lorraine Duquette
My sincere condolences to the Roy family for their great loss.