Raymond Hervey Godin, 74, of Potomac & Solomons, MD passed away peacefully on June 27, 2024 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD with family at his side. Born in Woonsocket, R.I. on Oct 2, 1949, he was the son and only child of the late Herve Eugene and Yvette Blanche (Cloutier) Godin. Ray is survived by his wife of over 49 years, Marie (Berthelette) Godin, his daughter Jacqueline Anne Peters (Robert) of Huntingtown, Maryland, and his son Michael Raymond Godin of Potomac, MD. He also leaves behind grandchildren Benjamin Robert Peters and Nicolette Renée Peters. Ray grew up in the small Massachusetts town of Millville, where he met Marie and his life catapulted to many adventures.

Ray was a 1967 RI National Honor Society graduate of Mount St Charles Academy, Woonsocket RI, and matriculated with a BS in Meteorology from Lowel Technological Institute (Univ of Massachusetts, Lowell) in 1971. LT Godin (USN) earned his Master of Science degree in Meteorology and Oceanography in 1977 from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA.

Feb 1972, Ray was commissioned an Ensign at Officer Candidate School, Newport RI and was assigned to his first duty station in Keflavik, Iceland as a meteorologist. He also did local TV weather reports in Keflavik. Ray’s second tour fulfilled a personal dream, where he served two seasons (1973 – 1975) as flight meteorologist with US Naval Support Force Antarctica. Det Charlie in McMurdo Station. He was awarded the National Defense Service medal, Meritorious Unit commendation, and Antarctica Service medal.

Following Naval Postgraduate School, Ray was employed by Navy/NOAA Joint Ice Center at the US Navy Fleet Weather Facility, Suitland MD as a meteorologist producing global sea ice analysis products for DOD and civilian users with wide range of utility. In 1983, he joined the staff of the Oceanographer of the Navy at the Naval Observatory in DC. He was offered a 5-year position in 1988 as Secretary for the Committee on Climatic Changes and the Oceans (CCCO) under the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and Senior Asst Secretary IOC at UNESCO /IOC headquarters in Paris, France. Ray recognized this as a personal and professional milestone. Professionally, he was responsible for organizing the scientific planning and work of the CCCO to identify Ocean-Climate research problems requiring international attention and further research activities. Ray was proud of his French-Canadian heritage and being a direct descendent of Zacharie Cloutier, one of the earliest Canadian settlers. This tour offered him the opportunity to visit Mortagne-au-Perche, Zachary’s birthplace and travel with his Uncles Gene and Leo as they revisited places they had fought during WWII as they relived and narrated their stories. Finally, it provided the unique opportunity for his children to become fluent in French and continue the family’s bilingual trend for another generation.

Ray returned to the Oceanographer of the Navy’s staff in 1992 where he would fill the roles of Sr Staff, Deputy of the Programs Integration Divion and Head of Interagency Affairs which offered him his last trip to “The Ice”, in the assessment of the Navy’s continued role in Antarctica. Ray retired from federal service in Feb 2003 as Deputy Assistant Navigator of the Navy, where in his tenure he had directly supported the Operational Navy via the MetOc communities single SPAWAR Program office and the 6.4/6.5 RDT & E program. As a founding member of the Standing Acquisition Coordinating Team (SACT) and early supporter of a COTS/Windows/PC based acquisition strategy, Ray helped to pave the way for the successful implementation of the USMC METMF-R Van’s and the Naval Integrated Tactical Environmental Systems (NITES) Program. Rear Admiral Thomas Wilson III recognized his achievements and support to the Navy, awarding him the Superior Civilian Service Award.

Ray continued his professional career with Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab as Senior Professional Staff II at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center where he was senior advisor to the NPOESS from 2003 to Oct 2014. He concluded his career in the employ of Global Science and Technology, Inc. as a Principal System Engineer on the NOAA SciTech -JPSS project and retired in 2017.

Ray was active in the MetOc community, a member of The Antarctican Society, the IEEE, American Meteorological Society, American Society of Photogrammetry, and member and past Vice President of the Marine Technology Society- Eastern Region.

Among many other pursuits, he enjoyed golfing, canoeing, camping, woodworking, and researching his father’s campaigns during WWII in North Africa, Italy, and France. He enjoyed following his Boston sports teams and telling a good sea story. Ray loved connecting with people and is fortunate to have a network of hundreds of friends that span the US, England, France, and Australia, particularly those in his “Navy family”. Family came first. Pépere, ever the soft touch, was always a guaranteed “yes” and ensured favorite treats were in stock and school activities, soccer games, concerts, and scouting activities were supported. He will be missed for his warmth, generosity, laughter, and lively discussions.
Family will receive friends at the at Rausch Funeral Home 4405 Broomes Island Road, Port Republic, MD, on Thursday, July 11, 2024, from 6 – 8 pm and Friday, July 12, 2024, from 10 – 11:00 am at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 225 Alexander Ln., Solomons MD; where a Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am. Interment will be at a later date.