Arthur Raymond, Malverne artist who captured village life, dies at 100

Celebrated Malverne artist Arthur Raymond, whose paintings captured slices of village life and whose optimism was infectious, died on Feb. 28. He was 100.

Raymond, who went by “Art” and “Artie” (and “Arthur” when he was in trouble, joked son-in-law Mike Bailey), was known for his watercolor work, a painstaking effort he continued until just before his 99th birthday, Bailey said. The Port Chester native harnessed his artistic prowess as his way out of Great Depression-induced poverty and worked as a commercial artist at his own agency in Manhattan after receiving scholarships to the McLain Art Institute and the American School of Design.

“He loved people. He loved the world. He loved every day of his 100 years,” Bailey said.

A master of detail, Raymond possessed the ability to capture characteristics in his paintings that showed his keen eye, like “the bird looking at the branch” or “the way the flower is turning to the sun,” his son-in-law said. He was known for his popular hand-painted Christmas cards, which featured vignettes from the year, like getting a new puppy or skiing. After 30 years, the annual tradition garnered a list of some 400 recipients.

“It was the small things that made up the bigger things,” Bailey said. “That is his legacy: Pay attention to the details and be part of your community.”

Similarly, Raymond’s sharp observations extended to people.

He noticed and remembered details about people that others overlooked and had a knack for knowing when someone needed a cheerful hello or friendly smile, said Malverne Village Historian Dave Weinstein, who knew Raymond for some 50 years after the two met while working on the village’s 75th anniversary celebration.

Raymond, who Weinstein said genuinely enjoyed helping people, helped plan the village’s 100th anniversary two years ago. He also donated a calendar of paintings to the village historic society for a fundraiser. His dedication to the village was recognized in 2013, when officials honored him with a citation at a meeting.

“I think Art’s motivation was, ‘I’m here. What good can I do while I’m here?’ ” Weinstein said. “I think people should try to follow in his footsteps.”

Raymond’s reputation as an artist was outshined only by that of his cheerfulness and gentle manner. His sunny demeanor never darkened and he was quick to look at the bright side, his son-in-law said.

He was raised by a single mother who worked at a shirt factory after his father died. Raymond caddied at a local golf course, where as a 12-year-old, he would earn a dime or 15 cents to put toward rent, Bailey said. Instead of focusing on his childhood hardships, Raymond instead shared how his love for golf was sparked by his time caddying. He played his last round at 97, closing the chapter on a lifetime hobby and two holes-in-one, Bailey said.

Raymond joined the Army Air Forces after graduating from art school following the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was tasked with building plaster sculptures of every air base in the Northeast, so pilots could learn the best approaches for landing, Bailey said.

He was stationed at Mitchel Field, where he met his future wife, Mary, who worked as a secretary. After a date that left neither of them “overly impressed,” they went on a second, Bailey said. Before long, the two were plotting their future. Raymond designed their Malverne home, where they would later hold daily 5 o’clock cocktail hours, when the couple would nurse a Manhattan over cheese and crackers and discuss their day.

Raymond was predeceased by his wife, Mary. He is survived by two daughters, Anne Bailey and Mary Jo Vogelsong, both of Malverne; three granddaughters, Megan Young of Toyama, Japan, Mary Kate Bailey of Austin, Texas, and Taylor Vogelsong of Jupiter, Florida; and a great-grandson, Miles Arthur Clowers of Austin, Texas, and a great-granddaughter, Carter Stang of Jupiter, Florida.

A wake was held Sunday at Flinch & Bruns Funeral Home in Lynbrook. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:45 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church in Malverne, where he was an active member.

By Brinley Hineman

brinley.hineman@newsday.com

Brinley Hineman covers the Town of Hempstead and the City of Long Beach for Newsday. She previously was a reporter in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a West Virginia native.