of Boston and his niece Jennifer Pumpilli of Sandwich and several cousins. He also leaves his brother Ronald Arra and his wife Janet of Sandwich, his nephew Ronals Arra Jr. Ray leaves his wife of 49 years Judith (Boron) Arra, his children Christine Arra and her husband Don Bilodeau of Bronxville, NY, Kimberly Arra and her husband Adam Lesko and Rays beloved grandson Hudson (2) all of Florence, MA. Ray also taught and coached at Westfield Vocational High School and in East Longmeadow and coached in Westfield, Southwick and Minnechaug. A member of the Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, Ray Arra leaves a lasting legacy on the baseball diamonds all over New England. His career, his love for the game was indeed something special. The stadium we played in was in Old Havana, and it held 55,000 fans, just like Yankee Stadium. 'The trip to Cuba was phenomenal,' Ray said. Aside from all the games he won, Ray was most proud of leading his team on a goodwill mission to Cuba in March of 2013, where a group of American college kids played professional baseball players from Cuba in a series of exhibition games. After a stint in the minor leagues Ray went to Westfield State where he was captain of the baseball team, and in 2002 he returned to the school as a baseball coach. A career that began as a three sport star at Needham High School led to being signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 1960.

He led his teams in a quiet, passionate, and unassuming way, leading by example. Over a career that spanned more than half a century, Ray won more than 400 high school games and close to 200 collegiate games. You’d be hard pressed to find a baseball man who has touched more lives and influenced more players that Ray Arra did.

If the name Ray Arra sounds familiar, it should, especially for baseball players and fans all over New England. Ray loved fishing the Cape Cod Canal, hunting, walking in the woods, gardening, mushroom picking, growing tomatoes, planting plum trees and cooking Italian food. He was born on Januin Boston to the late Raymond and Norina (Sachetti) Arra.

Arra, 77, died Thursday, at home surrounded by his wife, 2 children, son in laws and his neighbor by his side.

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