Ray M. Brassard, 65, of Beaumont, passed away Wednesday, October 17, 2012, surrounded by his wife of forty years and his sons, at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth, Beaumont. Ray was born May 29, 1947, in Manchester, New Hampshire, to Gerald & May Brassard. At the time of Ray’s birth, his father was in Chiropractic College in Davenport, Iowa. Soon after his birth he along with his mother, May and brother, Richard, joined Gerald to live in Iowa while Gerald completed Chiropractic College. At the age of three, Ray’s father, fresh from Chiropractic College, bought a Chiropractic practice in Beaumont and packed his family up and moved them to Southeast Texas.

While in Beaumont, Ray attended what is now called St. Anthony’s School, St. Anne’s Catholic School, and graduated from Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School. After graduation, Ray attended The University of Texas in Austin. “Hook-em Horns.” He received a Bachelor degree in Government and a Bachelor of Business Administration in three years. Ray then was accepted into the highly prestigious University of Texas Law School, receiving his Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree in 1971. Ray was admitted to the Texas State Bar and completed his CPA License in 1972. While at UT, he worked in the State Land Commissioner’s Office and State Auditor’s Office. While in UT Law, he and a few friends became co-owners of the One Knight Pub on 6th Street, running it for a number of years.

Raymond met Janice Jennett in 1968 during his sophomore year of college.  They were married in June of 1972 in Austin at a little church on campus.  After marriage, they moved to Houston where Ray completed his CPA license and Janice taught at a Catholic school.  Raymond began practicing law in the law firm of Gilbert T. Adams, Sr. & Ernest Browne, Sr. in Beaumont.  He worked for the law firm for approximately ten years before moving out on his own.

Beginning in 1975, Ray and Janice began their family. Brenden was born in 1975; Bryan was born in 1979, while Britten was born in 1982.  They chose to raise their family in Beaumont where Raymond practiced law and Janice taught school.

Throughout his life, Ray was very active in many civic and political organizations.  Ray began doing work for Beaumont Little Dribblers, West End Little League, Boys Haven, Leadership Beaumont, Beaumont Jaycees, Mrs. Beaumont Scholarship Beauty Pageant, and Jefferson County Democratic Convention Committee.  He held leadership roles in most of these organizations and volunteered many hours. Ray supported the Knights of Columbus, Cub Scouts, and his church, and freely gave time to his wife’s church by being the church’s bookkeeper for years, just to name a few.  He was an active member of the Jefferson County and Texas Bar Associations and practiced law in Jefferson County for years. Raymond was passionate about helping others and giving back to the community he lived in.

Raymond loved the law, his business, his clients and family. For almost forty years, Ray practiced law and would do anything for his clients. Many times he would take clients knowing that they would not be able to pay for the work they needed done and many times took payments in forms other than cash. He loved going to work to keep his business thriving, spending many late evenings completing work for his clients.

Raymond was a quiet, caring man. While selflessly caring for his mother who became terminally ill with Alzheimer’s, his own medical problems began. Four years ago Raymond went from never seeing a doctor to seeing many doctors within a short time frame. All of his doctors ended up caring for him just as he had cared for his clients. His health had been on a rocky road from that time, and all throughout he continued to practice law, even up until two days before his death. Raymond had his son take him to the office three days a week so they could work on client’s files together and continue to do one of the things that made him happy, practicing law. Those who know Ray know that he was a stubborn man, always having to do things his way and going to his office was a way he could continue to have some sort of control.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Gerald and May Brassard; his grandparents; sister in-law, Barbara Brassard; and nephew, Joseph Jennett.

Survivors include his wife, Janice; sons, Brenden Brassard of College Station; Bryan Brassard  and his wife, Genevieve, of Lumberton;  and Britten Brassard and his wife, Charlsea, of Euless; brother, Dr. Richard Brassard of Clear Lake; nieces, Michelle Golden Kirk of Kingwood, DeNae Brassard Lee of Austin, and Tracy Brassard Holst of Houston; brother-in-laws, G.P. Jennett of Arizona, Gilbert Jennett of Houston and Gene Jennett of California; sisters-in-law, Laura Jennett of Houston; nephews, Alex Jennett, Benjamin Jennett, Andrew Jennett, Gavin Jennett, and Gage Jennett; nieces Karen Jennett, Elysia Jennett; and several great nieces and nephews.

A gathering of Mr. Brassard’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., with a Christian Vigil to begin at 6:00 p.m., Friday, October 19, 2012, at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 20, 2012, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, 6825 Gladys Avenue, Beaumont, with interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.

Raymond’s family would like to extend their appreciation for the host of doctors that have cared for him, especially Dr. Derderian, Dr. Castellanos, Dr. Oh, Dr. Luviano, Dr. Benz, and Dr. Ahmed; the nurses and aides at Compassion Care Hospice; the Golden Triangle Dialysis Clinic nurses and staff; and the staff of Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth.

In lieu, of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Boys’ Haven of America, Inc., P.O. Box 5815, Beaumont, Texas 77726 or American Kidney Foundation, 11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20852.