Raymond Robert Vecchio

Raymond R Vecchio was born on Feb 15, 1933 in Rochester, New York. He was married to Anna Thames Vecchio. They were married in Pascagoula on December 27, 1952. He passed away on October 9, 2015 in Ocean Springs. Raymond attended high school at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Rochester, New York. He worked at the Monroe County Sheriff Department from 1958 until 1962. Raymond graduated in May 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. He later received a Master’s Degree from Boston University in International Studies and a Master’s Degree from Golden Gate University in San Francisco in Criminal Justice Administration. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in U.S. Air Force in 1962. Raymond served 27 years and retired as a Major from Keesler Air Force Base. While in the Air Force, he served in a B 52 Flight Crew during the Korean War. He was Chief of Security Police at Eglin AFB and at Keesler AFB. Later, he was promoted to Commander of the Office of Special Investigations at Keesler AFB. After his retirement from the US Air Force, Raymond was elected to the District 112- Mississippi House of Representatives where he served from 1982 to 1993. In 1993, he joined Congressman Gene Taylor’s Pascagoula Office where he served several years as a Field Representative. Ray also owned several small businesses in the city of Gautier. He was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Vancleave. Ray was a 4th Degree Member of the Knights of Columbus with St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gautier. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Debra Raylene Vecchio. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Anna Clyde Vecchio; his sons, Dino Ray Vecchio and his wife, Vickie Sanford Vecchio of Vancleave, Major Dion R Vecchio and his wife, Carol Barrios Vecchio of Columbus AFB; daughter, D’Ann Rene Vecchio Pinero and her husband, Brett Pinero of Thibodaux, LA; grandchildren, Megan Rachelle Vecchio Daugherty, and her husband, Marshall Daugherty of Ocean Springs, Mario Vecchio of Biloxi, Vincent Vecchio of Vancleave, John Benton Cirino of Vancleave, Taylor Pinero of Thibodaux, LA, Madelynn Pinero of Thibodaux, LA, Dion Vecchio of Columbus, and Sara Vecchio of Columbus; and great-grandson, Jackson Dane Daugherty of Ocean Springs. Funeral Services will be held at12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at the Vancleave Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home. Friends may visit two hours prior. Interment will follow at Vancleave #1 Cemetery.