Raymond William Sierk

Raymond William Sierk ("Ray") - dedicated husband, father, and grandfather – passed away on Thursday, November 3, 2022, at the age of 94 in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. Ray was the only child of Raymond and Ethel Sierk and was born on June 1, 1928 in Whitestone, New York. He began his college education at Manhattan College and, in May of 1948, enlisted in the United States Navy. After graduating with a degree in Electrical Engineering, Ray served his country as a Naval Lieutenant and was on active duty from September of 1951 through November 1954 during the Korean War. While attending college, he met his wife, Patricia Joyce, the sister of a fellow classmate. She became the love of his life and they were married on May 17, 1952. They spent their next 62 years together, having four children, and building a legacy of love and happy memories. Ray had a brilliant mind and was a passionate engineer and inventor. Following his honorable discharge from the Navy, he began his career as an engineer at Sperry Rand, a defense contractor that played a major role in the development of surface-to-air missiles and applying advanced computer technology to the military sector. He started a business partnership with his friend, Ben Chun, manufacturing automatic electronic test equipment and, in 1965, moved from Long Island, New York to Smoke Rise, New Jersey following the partnership's merger with Boonton Electronics. In 1974, Ray founded his own business, Design Display & Development Corp, specializing in the manufacturing of Polar motion and 3D advertising displays. He also partnered with his longtime friend, Al Alasia, and started Graphic Security Systems Corporation. Ray served as the first President and Officer of the company which is still going strong today. Florida had always been a favorite vacation destination for Ray and his family and in 1985, Ray retired and the family relocated to Royal Palm Beach, Florida. He enjoyed his retirement to the fullest and devoted his time to his wife Patricia, mother Ethel, children, and grandchildren – basking in the joys of his family and cherishing each day. Ray always continued to stay busy, using his time productively to focus on his many hobbies and projects. If you could dream it, Ray could build it. One of Ray's beloved projects was restoring a vintage 1967 Chris-Craft boat with his son. His attention to detail was impeccable and he restored it fully to its former elegance. Many sunny days were spent on the water with his entire family, and it's still enjoyed by them to this day. He embodied life – and that the idea of life is not to live forever, but to create something that will. Ray was a classic gentleman. He was intelligent and well spoken. He will always be remembered for his warm smile, kind demeanor, and remarkable character. Ray is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Patricia; and his son-in-law, Tony Lopes. Ray is survived by his four children, Lorraine O'Connell (Tom), Nancy Lopes, Billy Sierk, and Carolyn Sierk-Hasan (Malik); nine grand-children, Kelly and Justin O'Connell, Kristen Fischer (Dan), Adrianne Lopes, Dylan Sierk, and Julia, Taki, Mackenzy, and Drew Hasan; and two great-grandchildren, Avery and Kason Fischer. A visitation will be held from 2:00 pm until 3:00 pm on Friday, November 18, 2022 at Palms West Funeral Home, 110 Business Parkway, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411. A memorial service will follow immediately after at 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ray's honor can be sent to Alzheimer's Community Care HQ, located at 800 North Point Parkway, Suite 101-B, West Palm Beach, FL 33407 (https://www.alzcare.org/).