Raymond M. Victor, who was born on February 9, 1931, was able to join his beloved wife Bonnie on December 9, 2014.
   Raymond was a strong believer in the importance of family, and he loved his
children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren more than anything, with the possible exception of the 49ers. Raymond was a charismatic person, who loved to make people laugh by telling funny stories and jokes, the cornier the better. One of  his favorites was, “I’m so poor I can’t pay attention,” a joke he probably first used to get out of trouble at school. When his first grandchild Maggie nicknamed him Grumpy, he was a good enough sport to accept the fact that the joke was on him, and
soon he answered to this name. The entire family and even some of his friends called him Grumpy for the last 40-some years of his life.
   Raymond loved Manteca, where he was born and raised, where he raised his own children, and where he died in his own bed. He never wanted to live anywhere else.  He enjoyed sharing his memories of the small town where he grew up, a place where everyone knew everyone else, and Manteca Buffalo football games were the highlight of Friday nights in the fall. He met Bonnie Spence, his one and only love, at Manteca High School, and they spent more than sixty-one years together before she died in April of 2012. He missed her deeply and cherished the memory of his farmgirl sweetheart. He leaves behind three children, Chrissie, Shari, and Raymond; his grandchildren
Maggie Jane, Amy, Greg, Melanie, and the two Graces; and his great-grandchildren Olivia, Eli, Jackson, Mallory and Parker. His second daughter Karen died before him, as did his father, mother, sister Madeline, and brother Albert.
   Raymond believed in working hard and taking care of his family. For most of his life he drove vehicles of one kind or another, first, a tractor, then a milk truck, followed by a magazine truck, a 7-Up truck and finally a beer truck. After he retired, he operated Lucca’s, a gathering place for many local characters, and the setting for a series of comic newspaper articles. Later, he chose to return to tractor driving, working for Pete and Dustin Meredith for several years, and he really found himself in this simple occupation. Raymond enjoyed working the land around Manteca more than any job he ever had. He would rather spend his time plowing a field than
pursuing any hobby or amassing a great deal of money. Our father was a
philosophical man who believed that money didn’t guarantee happiness, and he never sought to acquire a lot of stuff. What made him happiest was the knowledge that his love and hard work made it possible for his children and grandchildren to find love and success in their own lives. He was always the central figure in every family occasion; now there will be a void where there used to be fun and laughter.
We will have the memories, but they are a pale substitute for such a vibrant man
and loving father.
   P.L. Fry & Son is honored to serving the Victor family. A visitation/gathering will be held on Monday, December 15, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. held at P.L. Fry & Son Funeral Home, 290 N. Union Rd., Manteca, CA.
   A celebration of life reception will
be held at Chez Shari’s (Manteca Golf Course) at 3:00 p.m. He will be laid rest
privately at Park View Cemetery. An online guest book is available for condolences
at www.plfryandson.com (search obituaries).

Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Thursday, December 11, 2014