Montpelier, VT

Raymond Michael Sunde of Montpelier, VT, passed away on August 19, 2025, in Berlin, VT, with his loving family by his side.

Raymond was born on February 1, 1930, in Shelton, CT, to his parents John Niedziela and Victoria Niedziela.

Raymond was baptized at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Derby, CT. He attended grammar school at St. Michael's Parochial School and later graduated from Shelton High School in 1947. He attended Becker Junior College where he obtained an Associate's Degree in Business Administration in 1950 and met his wife Ann ("Nancy") Catherine Shutts.

Raymond served in the US Army from 1952 to 1954. He completed a variety of training programs while in the service, including ammunitions and leadership training. Raymond was part of the 690th Field Artillery Battalion and was stationed overseas in Germany for 15 months until his honorable discharge with the rank of Corporal.

Upon returning stateside, Raymond married Nancy in Waterbury, CT and began a successful professional career as a sales manager with Deutsch Company, Moore Drop Forging Company in Springfield MA, with Endicott Forging Company in Endicott NY and finally with Rex Forging Company in Plantsville CT until he retired in 1993.

After retirement Raymond and Nancy moved south where he was a Eucharistic Minister as well as an RCIA Committee Member at the San Antonio Church in Port Charlotte, FL. Later moving to Vermont to be closer to family, Raymond worked for the Vermont State Information Center and volunteered at Central Vermont Medical Center alongside Nancy.

Raymond had many interests, including golf, gardening, painting, cheering on the UConn women's basketball team and spending time with family and friends. In his younger years he was an active member of the Greater Hartford Jaycees and enjoyed giving back to the community. His family often joked that Raymond was a man with only one fault: he rooted for the New York Yankees.

Raymond was preceded in death by his beloved wife Nancy in 2022 and his daughter Cathy Duda in 2012. He is survived by a daughter Joy Thomas and her husband Martin of Montpelier VT, a son John and his wife Coreen of West Hartford CT, and a son-in-law Raymond Duda of Somers CT. He also is survived by his grandchildren David Thomas, Martin Thomas and his wife Adrienne, Kali Flynn and her husband Nathan, Andrew Sunde, Ian Sunde, and Abigail Sunde, as well as great grandchildren Jordyn, Jackson and Drew Thomas, and Mikayla, Kolby, Mckenna, Lilley and Emmett Flynn.

Raymond's family would like to recognize the nurses and staff at CVMC's Woodridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Berlin, VT for the exceptional care and comfort they extended to him and to them over the past several months.