Services were held last week for a beloved and well-known Orion Township dentist, Dr. Raphael A. Flajole, who was killed on June 8 in Galveston, Texas.
Flajole was killed by a reckless driver in Galveston, on a Sunday morning while he was enjoying a sunrise walk on the beach with his family. Flajole was in Galveston with family to celebrate the 50th year of his brother being in the priesthood.
Flajole was a much-loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and dedicated friend. He was a dentist in Lake Orion for more than 37 years where he gently and compassionately cared for his patients.
He took great pride in providing honest and excellent dental care to make sure that everyone had ‘nice choppers?.
Flajole had many passions and hobbies in life. Golfing brought him much happiness and sometimes angst.
He recently started running, and as everything he attempted, he mastered it. He had planned on eventually doing a triathlon. He enjoyed craft beer with buddies.
He loved to ski, be on the water, and was a champion sailboat racer.
He told good stories, loved sharing trivia and corny jokes. He loved life.
Ray is survived by his wife Carol; daughters and son-in-laws, Rachel and Jeff Ridley, Emily Flajole, Julia and Phil Thomas and Molly Flajole; grandchildren Liam and Evan Ridley and Aiden and Abigail Thomas; brothers, Fr. John Paul Flajole OFM, Pierre Flajole; sister, Mary Flajole; and sister -in- law, Jewell Flajole. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and his loving friends. He is preceded in death by his mother and father, Delphine and Paul Flajole; and his brother, Michael Flajole. Ray was loved by many and will be very greatly missed.
The family received friends on June 12 and June 13 at Sparks-Griffin funeral Home in Lake Orion.
A funeral mass was held at St. Joseph Church on June 14.
Donations in his honor may be made to Forgotten Harvest, 21800 Greenfield Road, Oak Park Michigan 48237’www.forgottenharvest.org’or to Catholic Relief Services, 228 W. Lexington Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201’www.crs.org.?
Reflections may be shared with the family by visitingwww.sparksgriffin.com