Raymond Maas, M.D., 90
Raymond Reuben Maas, a resident of Castro Valley (CV), Calif., since 1963, passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side on Oct. 4, 2024. He was 90 years old.
Ray was born on a farm in Menno, S.D. during the Great Depression. In 1956 he graduated from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in Medicine (B.S.). Then, in 1958 he earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from Washington University in St. Louis. He completed his internship and anesthesiology residency at the University of Oregon Medical School (OHSU) in Portland where he met Donna, his wife, in 1961. He served as a captain in the United States Air Force at Westover AFB in Massachusetts until 1963 during the building of the Berlin Wall and the Cuban missile crisis. Thereafter, he moved his family to Castro Valley. A conscientious physician, he practiced and served as Chief of Anesthesia at Eden Medical Center and the CV Surgery Center for 38 years.
His hobbies included hard edge acrylic painting and duplicate bridge becoming Life Master in 1970. He had an active interest in youth baseball coaching CV Little League, Babe Ruth League, and high school for 20 years. He immensely enjoyed watching his two sons play professional baseball until Kevin, his youngest son, retired in 1997. In 1998 he returned to coaching baseball, this time at Cal State Hayward (East Bay) where he volunteered for the next ten years. He pursued a lifelong interest in genealogy for his Black Sea Germans from Russia ethnic group with active membership in the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (AHSGR) and the Germans from Russia Heritage Society (GRHS).
He most valued family traditions including annual trips to the Monterey Beach house, holiday gatherings, traveling to/with family around the world, and enjoyed following the NY Yankees and 49ers. To those who knew him, he was an exceedingly kind, considerate, humble, and respected man. He warmed every room that he entered. Dad’s love and presence will be missed, and our family gatherings will never be the same.
Ray is survived by his wife of 62 years, Donna; his son Jason (Sara); his son Kevin; his daughter-in-law Carrie; his four grandchildren Lacey, Christian, Erika and Zachary; his two sisters Jean Wilson (Steve) and Ann Wendel (Ed); his Aunt Janet Swanson along with many nieces and nephews. Ray was preceded in death by his parents Rueben & Annetta Maas. A private person devoted to his family, he leaves behind a small and loyal group of friends and many acquaintances.
There will be a small family gathering at a later date. Contributions in his name may be made to the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (www.ahsgr.com), Eden Medical Center Foundation (www.sutterhealth.org/eden/giving), Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church (www.olgcv.org) and Pathways Hospice (www.pathwayshealth.org).
