In Memoriam: Raymond Stout

Stout, who worked for the Wake Forest University Police for 22 years, died on Sept. 2.

Breanna Laws, Staff Writer
September 14, 2022

On Sept. 2, Wake Forest University Police Officer Raymond “Ray” Stout died at the age of 75. A funeral service was held on Sept. 7, and Stout was laid to rest at Olivet Moravian Church.

Staff members of the University Police Department have been mourning the loss of Stout, who has worked with the university since 1999.

“He always had a great story, a great joke or an uplifting comment to say; even when we had long weeks or events,” Justin Van Nice, assistant general manager at the LJVM Coliseum, said. “His smile and positivity [were] infectious, and that is putting it lightly.”

Stout was a father of two and a grandfather to one. His time in service with the Wake Forest University Police began on a volunteer basis when he worked as a reserve deputy from 1974-1999. He became a full-time police officer in 1999.

“Something I greatly respected about him was [his] passion,” Nice said. “He brought that same attitude and spirit to work every day, even when times were tough.”

Nice continued: ““The old cliché of, ‘they don’t make them like they used to’ comes to mind as it relates to Ray’s character and willingness to help.”

 

John Long, a security officer with University Police, worked closely with Stout from the beginning of his time at Wake Forest.

“As reserve officers, we received the same training and opportunities as full-time officers, however we did so as a community service and without pay,” Long said. 

Stout remained diligent and selfless throughout his career — including the time before he came to Wake Forest. Before becoming a police officer, Stout was a member of the U. S. Army. He spent 13 months in South Korea and returned to the U.S. to join the 82nd Airborne Corps G-3 Operations in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. 

“One of the things I appreciated most about Ray was that he always strived to do the right thing,” Nice said. “If  he believed in something, he was passionate enough to speak with his heart.”

In his personal life, Stout was a man of courtesy. Long recounts a humorous story of the time when Stout came over to his home for lunch. 

“My wife had [cooked] broccoli spears,” Long said. “Ray slowly and quietly ate what was set before him. At the end of the meal, he thanked my wife for including him in our dinner plans. It wasn’t until many years later that I found out Ray probably wasn’t a big fan of broccoli.”

Stout was a dedicated family man — being married to his wife, Faye Stout, for 57 years. They met at West Forsyth High School in 1965, and they spent their life together loving their children and their dogs. The Stouts loved to ride motorcycles together and with their friends. They particularly enjoyed traveling across the east coast during the summer.

Though still mourning the loss of Stout, family and friends take comfort in remembering his life of legacy. 

“I am truly going to miss our friendship, but know there isn’t a better man, in a better place than where he is right now,” Nice said.