Raymond S. Pawlowski, Jr.

Raymond S. Pawlowski, Jr., 65, of Coatesville, died unexpectedly during his workday on Thursday, January 12, 2023.

Born in 1957, Ray was the eldest child of the late Raymond and Susan Pawlowski (nee Krupansky). He graduated in 1975 from Coatesville Area Senior High School and continued his education at Drexel University and the Institute of Audio Research in New York City. For the past twenty years, Ray worked at The Vanguard Group.

Ray was a good, kind, gentle, and incredibly smart man. Like his mother, he had a pure heart – he never had an unkind word to say. He was the first person to help anyone out. Ray would drive anywhere for anyone…and there would always be a delicious food stop somewhere along the way. Ray loved discovering new places to eat anywhere he visited, often suggesting the destination based on the food he’d like to try. His suggestions were often the holes-in-the-wall, the places you really needed to look for – but they were always worth the adventure to find.

Ray was devoted to his family. He adored his parents and was a dutiful, loving son. As the oldest brother to seven siblings, Ray was the first person everyone would call to talk about anything. The big things – like jobs and kids and life changes – and the small things – like car troubles or fallen tree branches. Ray would listen and no matter what anyone needed, he was there.

Ray was a son, brother, cousin, nephew, and friend. But one of his most influential roles was an uncle. Uncle Ray had 12 nephews and nieces. There has never been and will never be another Uncle Ray like our Uncle Ray. From trips to every farmer’s market and county fair in a 50-mile radius, there was nothing more Ray loved to do than a day trip for a special treat with his family. But it’s not destination that made the time special. It was Uncle Ray himself who would talk (and talk!) and listen to everything the kids had to say. And as these kids grew to teens and young adults, he became a friend and confidante…but always Uncle Ray.

Ray loved many things - Bruce Springsteen, The Simpsons, Nifty Fifty’s, Craig LaBan food reviews, flannel shirts without the buttons on the collar, moccasins, cheesesteaks, WXPN, his silver Totoya Rav4, the Turtle Blizzard from Dairy Queen and the Phillies. Most importantly, he loved his family. And we loved him deeply. Ray will be missed more than any words can say.

Ray is survived by siblings Joe (Kathy), Tom, Mary Anne Duca (Pete), Karen Tracy, Jim (Marissa), Bob (Jennifer), and Jeanne Pawlowski. He is lovingly remembered by his nephews and nieces: Joseph, Peter, Courtney (Sean), Nick, Stephanie, Samantha, William, David (Godson), Jimmy, Robert, Danny and Brandon (Godson) as well as his great niece Maci and great nephew Miles.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Saturday, January 21, 2023, at St. Joseph’s Church, 404 Charles Street, Coatesville. Friends and relatives may visit with the family from 9:45-10:45 a.m. at the church.

In lieu of flowers and in celebration of Ray’s life, please go out to dinner at a small local business, somewhere you always wanted to try. And on the way there, call someone you love and ask about their day. That’s what Ray would do.

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