Raymond Merrifield Kinson, 78, of Kinson Lane in Charlestown, died Monday morning, March 19, 2012, at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH.

Ray was born on April 14, 1933 the son of Gerald and Helen (Merrifield) Kinson.  He was a Charlestown native, attended Charlestown schools and worked his teenage years for Weeks Dairy Farm in North Charlestown.  He served in the Army during the Korean Conflict.  Upon return he was employed with Worthmore Grain Store in Charlestown for ten years.  Ray retired from Fellows Gear Shaper in Springfield, VT in the early 1990’s after thirty-five years.

Ray loved baseball and had played on Charlestown teams, when he was young.  He was an avid local hunter and loved Pittsburg, NH, where he had been camping and fishing on the Connecticut Lakes since the 1950’s.

Ray was predeceased by his beloved wife, Dorothy “Dottie” (Colburn) Westcott Kinson on May 8, 1999, whom he married on August 16, 1974. 

The family includes, one brother, David Kinson of Claremont; one sister, Virginia Ptasnik of Charlestown; two nephews, David Forsaith of Charlestown and Edward Forsaith of Claremont; two nieces, Milena Mongeon of Goshen and Alma Twombly of Bethel, VT; two step-daughters, Brenda Tripodes and Karen Crowley of Charlestown; two step-sons, Robert Westcott of Unity and Brett Westcott of Claremont; two step-grandsons, Mike Tripodes of Tamsworth and Nate Simonds of Keene.

He was predeceased by two brothers, Gerald Kinson of Bedford and Thomas Kinson of Windsor, VT; one sister, Debra Morrell of Milford, CT; one step-granddaughter, Shelli-Ann Westcott of Claremont.

Graveside services will be held on Monday, March 26, 2012 at Eleven O’clock in the morning in Pine Crest Cemetery, Charlestown with Rev. Clint Brake, officiating, Pastor of the West Unity Methodist Church.