Raymond Gordon Canant
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Ray's Memoir
LTC Raymond Gordon Canant, US Army (Ret), known to many as “Ray”, I have lived in San Antonio, TX since 1980. I was born June 27, 1938, to Raymond Gideon and Violet Canant. I participated in the Boy Scouts of America and earned the Eagle Scout rank in my hometown of Bynum, Alabama, where I secured an appointment to West Point from a Member of Congress at age 18. In 1960, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree at U.S. Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant (2LT) in the U.S. Army, Artillery. I had a diverse career starting with an assignment to a Missile Battalion in Germany. I transferred to Ordnance after three years and was assigned as Commander of an Ordnance Air Defense maintenance detachment in Germany. I married while in Germany, adopting daughter Andrea, and had two children, Kurt and Patricia. Later, my assignment was commander of an Ammunition Company in a combat zone in Vietnam.
After Vietnam, I was assigned as the Commander of an advanced modular maintenance unit at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. I obtained a Master of Science in Engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 1970. Following that was a tour of duty as the Executive Officer of an ammunition Battalion in Okinawa, Japan. After completing that assignment, I was assigned as the ammunition staff officer for the Joint Command in Thailand supporting the Laotian forces where I served until 1972.
I requested and received a tour of duty back in Germany. After tours in Germany with an ammunition battalion and later as an ammunition staff officer in the Army headquarters in Heidelberg, I was assigned to a NATO unit in Luxembourg. Of the 21 years of Army service, I served overseas 14 years. Numerous awards include the Bronze Star Medal and the Legion of Merit.
In 1980, I requested a compassionate assignment to San Antonio, TX at U.S. Army Health Services Command, Fort Sam Houston, where my second wife, Nicole, received surgery and subsequently passed away. My military career was winding down at this point and I retired from the U.S. Army in 1981.
In the summer of 1983, I married Carmen Diane and our only child, Philip, was born in 1988. My second career began in the life insurance industry in 1982 and then progressed into finance where I started Equity Financial Services which I operated for 30 years. I was a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) in 1986, Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) in 1989, and Registered Investment Advisor. I was a member of San Antonio Association of Life Underwriters, President of the North Central San Antonio Rotary Club, and a member of the Texas Corvette Association for 11 years. I continued to shoot pistol and played tennis on many San Antonio tennis teams. I continued to play tennis until age 84 and credit the sport for my long and reasonably healthy life.
I’m living a wonderful marriage with Diane for 39 years, so far. My firstborn son, Kurt, passed away in 2012 at age 49. I have 4 granddaughters, 1 grandson, and 3 great-grandchildren.
Kurt Canant (1962-2012), Ray's Son
Mr. Kurt Canant, age 49, of Rockmart passed away Tuesday, July 24, 2012 following a courageous battle with cancer.
Kurt was born in Nurnberg, Germany on October 29, 1962. Kurt's childhood years, in a military family, were spent in Germany, Okinawa and Thailand. He graduated from the American High School in Bitburg, Germany with top honors, then earned two bachelor's degrees. He pursued his lifelong dream to fly airplanes and, after years of dedication and sacrifice, became a commercial pilot where he worked his way to captain. He was flying private, time share aircraft when he was disabled with his fatal illness. He was fulfilled, nonetheless, with fellowship of community, church and family. Kurt met his soul mate, Joni, who has been there through good times and bad. Kurt was a devoted family man - the essence of his life.
Kurt was born in Nurnberg, Germany on October 29, 1962. Kurt's childhood years, in a military family, were spent in Germany, Okinawa and Thailand. He graduated from the American High School in Bitburg, Germany with top honors, then earned two bachelor's degrees. He pursued his lifelong dream to fly airplanes and, after years of dedication and sacrifice, became a commercial pilot where he worked his way to captain. He was flying private, time share aircraft when he was disabled with his fatal illness. He was fulfilled, nonetheless, with fellowship of community, church and family. Kurt met his soul mate, Joni, who has been there through good times and bad. Kurt was a devoted family man - the essence of his life.
Kenzie, Kurt Canant's Daughter
