In the late 1920's, Raymond worked at Granite City Steel Mill, Illnois. After a few years there, he went to Antioch, California, where he was employed by Johns Manville Roofing Company.

In 4/1942, he volunteered his service for his country in the United States Army, serving a period of 3 1/2 years, 16 months of which were spent in Europe. He got an honorable discharge 10/21/1945.

In 1946 he married Lorene. She was raised on a farm near Courtois, Missouri. After they married, they lived in Antioch, California for awhile, then came back to St. Louis Raymond attended Moler Barber College and barbered for awhile. Not satisfied with city life, they bought the Eph Turnbough farm at Davisville and did carpentry work along with some farming until his health failed.