Scott Raymer
Dies at Age 59
Scott Raymer, chef, fisherman, shipwright and cab driver, passed away March 21, 2015, in Bellingham, Wash., at the age of 59.
The family plans to have services in Sitka and Elfin Cove in August.
Christopher Scott Raymer was born on Nov. 14, 1955, in Corvallis, Ore. After graduating high school Scott obtained a degree from the Culinary Institute of America in New York becoming, at the time, the youngest registered Chef. He began his career at the Congressman’s Club in Washington, D.C., as Executive Chef serving such dignitaries as Henry Kissinger along with two presidents and a handful of congressmen and women.
Moving to the West Coast he set up and opened a restaurant in Ballard, Wash., where he was once again the Executive Chef. During his first stint in Alaska, he worked for Sheffield Hotels; and when Bill Sheffield was elected governor, Scott catered inaugural events at three separate venues in a single evening.
Leaving the culinary arts he went to his first love, the ocean. Scott became a master diver and loved fishing. He became a commercial fisherman with his two seafaring boats, the Trinket, his diving boat; and the Sunrise, his commercial fishing boat.
When Washington banned commercial fishing in the Puget Sound he used the Natural Resource Professional Re-education Bill and enrolled himself in the Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building near Oak Harbor, Wash., to become a shipwright. He graduated with honors as the top student.
From there Scott followed his career to Elfin Cove, Alaska, where he helped repair and build boats. He moved to Sitka and drove cab at nights in order to rebuild his new boat, the Cindy, to his standards.
Scott was a generous and humble man, someone who would and had given the shirt off his back to those in need. He made lasting connections, friends and family everywhere he went and was well known to look after others in need and go the “extra mile.”
Scott is survived by his parents William “Bill” and Penelope “Penny” Raymer, of Bellingham, Wash.; his two loving sisters, Kathryn of Bellingham and Heather of Valdez; and his brother Michael, of Las Vegas, Nev.
The loves of his life and, in his own words, his greatest accomplishments, were his two sons Jay William Gregory Raymer of Missoula, Mont., and Douglas James Raymer, who is in the National Guard; along with his stepdaughter Jessica Julia Higgins of Seattle.
Scott did not chase happiness – he didn’t need to, he lived it! He is dearly loved and sorely missed, his family said. Christopher Scott Raymer left behind a legacy of love and of healing, and for those of us here, we hope that old bear whispered “Boy, welcome home!”
