Raymond Maciel

Raymond Maciel passed away Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. He was 90 years old. On Monday, December 4, there will be a memorial service at 6 p.m. and a rosary at 7 p.m. at the Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. On Tuesday, December 5, there will be a 10 a.m. mass service at St. Francis on the Brazos followed by a burial service at Waco Memorial Park.

Raymond was born in Waco, Texas, to Maria and Andres Maciel on August 31, 1933. He attended Waco High School. Always a lover of music, he taught himself to play the harmonica as a young man. He was an avid dancer and met his wife, Sally, 48 years ago while country dancing. They later learned how to square dance and became presidents of their club. They danced for the Heart of Texas Fair for many years as well as other public venues. The couple regularly lit up the dance hall with their performances and won several prizes in competitions.

As a husband, Raymond was a stellar example of taking care of business and providing for his family. He walked all three of his step-daughters down the aisle. He regularly helped fix things around the family’s houses. He got up on the roof to show the roofers where the leak was when he was 83 years old! His legacy of service to others will endure for all who knew him. An army veteran of the Korean War, Raymond was an active, longtime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 2148, in Waco. He was also a lifetime member of the American Legion. He attended boot camp at Fort Hood at the same time as Elvis Presley and remained a lifelong fan of the musician.

For years, Raymond made coffee and popcorn in the mornings at the Veterans Affairs hospital. He found great joy in participating in the Veterans Day parade. He carried the flag in the parade well into his 80s, then retired to ride on the trailer with his great-grandson, Eli, along for the ride. A favorite at his clinic, Raymond was admired for his dedication to following his health regimen. He was often recognized as a star patient. He witnessed the Waco Tornado of 1953 when he was downtown for a job. Raymond worked for the Haltom City Oil company for more than 30 years and worked his way up from a truck driver to a vice president. In his retirement, he and Sally enjoyed traveling on bus tours, cruises, and visits to the British Isles and Europe.

Raymond was preceded in death by his parents, Andres and Maria Maciel; his brothers, Trinidad and Joe Maciel; his sisters, Hope Soto and Irene Salazar; his sisters-in-law, Dodie Maciel, Linda Maciel, and Eva Maciel; his brothers-in-law, Manuel Q. Perez, Jr. and Jose Soto; and his nephew, Andy Maciel.

He is survived by his wife, Sally Maciel; brothers, Jesse Maciel and Johnny Maciel; sisters, Gloria Gonzalez, Andrea Perez, and Victoria Mata of Dallas; nieces, Teresa Gonzalez, Maria Maciel, and Stella Salazar; nephews, Rodney Gonzalez, Jesse Gonzalez, and Jesse Maciel, Jr., and his wife Cristina; and many more nieces and nephews who loved him dearly; stepdaughter, Donna Freed, and her husband, Curt, of McKinney; stepdaughter, Bonny Krahn, and her husband, Stephen, of Wimberley; stepdaughter, Kerry Pickens, of Albuquerque, and her sons, Tristan Farias and Xavier Pickens; granddaughter, Beth Freed, and her son, Eli, of McKinney; grandson, Eric Gomez and his wife, Mary, and their children, Shiloh and Fisher; grandson, Greg Freed and his wife, Ashley and their son, Leo; granddaughter, Marianna Espinoza and her husband, Josue, her step-children Jordan, Isabel, and their children Selah, Israel, and Elijah.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com

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