Ellsworth
Raymond Charles Katsiaficas, age 62, died peacefully on May 11, 2021, after a short battle with cancer. He was born on June 21, 1958, the son of Charles G. Katsiaficas and Lillian (Sargent) Katsiaficas. He left this life as he lived it, with love in his heart, courage and a belief that he was joining the many he loved who went before him.
Raymond grew up in Ellsworth and loved his hometown and the many friendships he had here. He graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1976 and Springfield College in 1980 with a degree in physical education. Raymond was a tremendous athlete and dedicated his early career to teaching physical education and coaching. Upon graduating from college, he accepted a position in Lomma, Sweden, where he played and coached basketball for four years. After returning to the United States, he coached and taught at Bucksport High School, where his basketball team won the Eastern Maine Championship Title. He went on to teach and coach at Mount Desert Island High School, Ellsworth High School and then in Virginia, where he also volunteered to coach athletes with special needs.
His life was committed to educating and mentoring young people with many of his former students and players mentioning how much he affected their lives in a positive way. After leaving coaching, he worked in family businesses and had two forays in publishing with five Coffee News franchises, and more recently, publisher of the Falmouth Foresider Magazine. He lived in southern Maine until last year when he and Pam returned to Ellsworth to be near family and friends, at which time he restarted Katsiaficas Custom Painting. They built their dream home on Leonard Lake in Ellsworth, where he enjoyed landscaping the grounds and becoming the “official keeper” of his father’s flag on the ledge near the shore. Raymond was most proud of being a father to his children whom he shared with his first wife, Jyl. He cherished the years they spent living on Green Lake, where they created wonderful memories: boating, water sports and of course, his epic firework displays. A week seldom passed without a cookout or some gathering where he and Jyl would entertain friends and family. The family camp at Oak Point in Trenton was also a very special place to Raymond. He found serenity by and on the ocean. He delighted in giving anyone and everyone a boat ride or a lesson on how to bait and pull one of his five lobster traps. He traveled extensively while living in Sweden, and more recently, he made several trips to Greece, where he and his wife, Pam, were married on the island of Milos.
Prior to his diagnosis in February, he and Pam spent seven very special weeks in Key Largo, Fla., with his mother, Lily. Raymond loved life and filled it with as many new experiences as he could. He was a wonderful son, father, husband, brother and uncle. He was never happier than when he was spending time with the family who loved him so much. Everyone loves Raymond. He leaves behind his wife, Pamela, their five children: Seth and wife, Lot, of London, England, daughter Courtney and her husband, Ben Meynell, of Orlando, Fla., son Demetrios of Portland and children by marriage, Hannah and Samuel Trieu. He is also survived by his mother, Lily, sisters Athanasia, Vasilike (Kiki) and husband, Raymond, and Mary, all of Ellsworth, and brother Charlie and wife, Jennifer, of Claremont, Calif., along with many special nieces, nephews and other family members. We will all miss him very much. He was predeceased by his father, Charles G. Katsiaficas, and his first wife of 23 years, Jyl. A small family service will be held at the First Congregational Church in Ellsworth. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions to Lafayette Family Cancer Institute in Brewer. They are very grateful for the wonderful care he received there.