Deitz, Raymond Charles

Birth

Raymond Charles Deitz was born to Charles E. Deitz and Laura Jane Ludden of Berne, on December 28, 1884.

Education

Raymond graduated from Hartwick Theological Seminary in 1910, and was ordained as a Lutheran minister in the same year. In 1929, Raymond received an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Hartwick Seminary for his efforts as a founder of Hartwick College.

Occupation and Life

In 1910, Raymond was ordained to the gospel ministry and served in various Lutheran churches for 42 years, starting in 1910 at the Zion Church in Buffalo, N.Y. In 1914, he was installed at the St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Middleburgh, N.Y. By 1919, Raymond was the new pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Messiah in Brooklyn, where in 1924 he and the congregation celebrated the burning of the church mortgage bonds. Shortly thereafter, he headed to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Johnstown, N.Y.

“I cannot help but feel a certain personal happiness in counting myself a descendent of Johan Peter Deitz” were the beginning words of Raymond’s eloquent speech and invocation at the D.A.R.’s 1927 placement and unveiling of the marker commemorating the Dietz massacre.

Some time before 1946, Raymond began service at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Hollis, Long Island, N.Y. 1947 drew Raymond closer to his roots, when he became pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Richmondville, N.Y.; and where in 1950, the 40th anniversary of his ordination was celebrated along with the 120th anniversary of the organization of that congregation and the 50th anniversary of that edifice.

Raymond resigned from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in 1952, and retired to live at Memorial Home Community at Penney Farms, Florida; a retirement home founded by J.C. Penney for ministers and their wives.

In addition to being a founder of Hartwick College, Raymond served 25 years on its Board of Trustees, with 14 years as secretary. He was an honorary trustee at the time of his death.

Marriage & Children

Raymond was married to Caroline “Carrie” Whittaker on September 6, 1911. She was the daughter of Mrs. Harriet Whittaker and the late Rev. Frank Whittaker. The ceremony was performed at the Lutheran church at Hartwick Seminary; the ceremony being performed by the brother of the groom, Rev. Archibald E. Deitz, and with Marion L. Deitz, sister of Raymond, as maid of honor. After a honeymoon at Thousand Islands, the bride and groom returned to Buffalo, N.Y., where Raymond was the pastor at Zion’s Lutheran church. Both bride and groom were graduates of Hartwick Seminary.

Children:

• Rev. Dr. Reginald Whittaker Deitz (d.March 3, 1960, at 45 yo; married to Margaret Pfeiffer for 21 years)
• Laura Ludden Deitz (m. Norman Roper; d. Nov.2009)
• Rev. Charles Edwin Deitz (m. Marjorie L. Schultz, July 14, 1945)
• Raymond Charles Deitz, Jr.
• William Harris Deitz

Death

Rev. Dr. Raymond E. Deitz died on April 8, 1960, at Albany Hospital, and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Obituary

As published in Altamont Enterprise January 9, 1959

The funeral of Mrs. Raymond C. Deitz, the former Carrie Whitteker, was held from the First Lutheran church in Albany last Monday. Rev. and Mrs. Deitz had been living at Penney Farms in Florida. Mrs. Deitz died suddenly while at Sarasota, Fla., on Dec. 30. She is survived by her husband, Rev. Raymond C. Deitz, a former Berne boy; four sons, Rev. Reginald Deitz of Gettysburg, Pa., Rev Charles Deitz of Massepequa Park, Long Island; Raymond Deitz, Jr., Deansboro; William Dietz of Rensselaer, and one daughter, Mrs. Norman Roper, Oneonta. Interment was in Woodlawn cemetery.

As published in the Altamont Enterprise April 15, 1960

Rev. R.C. Deitz Dies; Former Area Pastor. The Rev. Raymond C. Deitz, 75, former pastor of the Richmondville Lutheran church, died Apr. 8 at Albany hospital after a long illness. Born in Berne, Dr. Deitz was graduated from Hartwick Academy and Hartwick Seminary. He was ordained to the Lutheran ministry in 1910, and served as pastor of churches in Sharon, Middleburgh, Johnstown and Richmondville. He retired from the Richmondville Lutheran church nine years ago. Dr. Deitz received an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Hartwick Seminary in 1929 in recognition of his efforts as a founder of Hartwick College, Oneonta. Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Norman Roper of Oneonta; three sons, Raymond, Jr. of Deansboro, William of Rensselaer, and the Rev. Charles Deitz of Massapequa Park, L.I. and 11 grandchildren. He was the husband of the late Carrie Whittaker Deitz and father of the late Rev. Reginald Deitz of Gettysburg, Pa. Also surviving are a sister, Mrs. John E. Hoick of Los Angeles and two brothers, the Rev. Archibald E. Deitz, of Athens, Ohio. Since his retirement, Doctor Deitz had been living at Memorial Community, Penny Farms, Fla. Funeral services, under the direction of the William J. Rockefeller Funeral Home, Rensselaer, were conducted at 3 p.m. Tuesday, at the First Lutheran church, Albany.

Additional Media

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  Raymond C. Deitz Woodlawn Cemetery

Sources

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