Mourners will gather on Friday to pay their respects for Plainville firefighter Ray Moreau who died from injuries he suffered while fighting a fire on Maria Road in Plainville last Sunday. Moreau, a volunteer firefighter for 35 years, had planned to celebrate his 36th wedding anniversary with his wife last Sunday when he got the call about the fire.
โMyself, Ray and our wives are planning to go to the casino and spend together to celebrate Chris and Ray’s upcoming anniversary,” William Gammon, Plainville Fire Company first lieutenant, said during the vigil for Moreau on Tuesday. “I saw the large black cloud and I said ‘Oh boy, we have a fire and we may have to start late.'” Moreau was injured at the scene and died during surgery at he Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain, officials said.
The 60-year-old was a veteran of the U.S. Marines Corps., held several positions with the fire department and organized fundraisers. โRay was a brother, a dear friend and we’ll miss him in a way we just don’t have words to describe,” Plainville Fire Company Captain John Myska said during a vigil on Tuesday night. โRest in peace brother, your work here is done. Your legacy will live on and you will never be forgotten.”
Community members said he loved animals and children and he will be missed greatly. “The loss of Moreau cuts like a knife at the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. This isn’t merely a job or a hobby, being a volunteer firefighter. It is a calling. And Moreau answered the call. As Commissioner, I am deeply, deeply grateful for the sacrifices of our first responders, each and every one of them. Nothing, nothing hurts more than the ultimate sacrifice that was witnessed in the Town of Plainville here today,” Ronnell Higgins, the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, said.
Wake – The wake for Moreau will be held from 3 p.m. to around 7 p.m. Friday at the Plainville Funeral Home at 81 Broad St. in Plainville and members of the public are welcome to attend and pay their respects. Because of the expected attendance, parking for uniformed personnel will be at the former GE property at 41 Woodford Ave. in Plainville and shuttles will run to and from the funeral home starting at 2:45 p.m.
Funeral services – Funeral services will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Central Connecticut State Universityโs Welte Hall at 1615 Stanley St. in New Britain. Uniformed personnel who are attending the funeral are asked to arrive at CCSU by 8:15 a.m. Parking will be available in the Welte Garage at 39 Ella T. Grasso Boulevard.
Procession to cemetery – After the funeral service, there will be a procession to the cemetery and members of the public are encouraged to line the route to honor Moreau. The procession will proceed left on Ella Grasso, left on Stanley Street, left on Manafort Drive, left on East Street, right onto Route 9 and take exit 29 off of Interstate 84 to Mulberry Street. The cemetery is located at 200 South End Road in Southington.
