KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Farmington native Raymond E. “Ray” Titcomb, 83, currently of Chesterville and Kissimmee, Fla., died of natural causes on Thursday, Jan. 5, with family by his side.

He was born Sept. 5, 1928, in Farmington, the son of Clarence J. and Esther Ellsworth Titcomb. He was a graduate of Farmington High School, Class of 1946, and continued his education at the University of Maine, Orono, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and earned his degree in agriculture economics in 1950.

In Feb. 1950, he married Colleen Ayer and later that summer assumed the responsibility of Titcomb Hill Farm, with a milking herd of 40 registered Guernseys, which had been operated by Burleigh Crockett and his mother, Esther. At that time, they delivered between 100 and 150 quarts of raw milk daily and made home deliveries to customers and to retail grocery stores. In a 10-year period, the business grew to 5,000 quarts a day of pasteurized and homogenized milk, with home and retail delivery to all of Franklin County. He carried a full line of dairy products: eggs, cheeses, ice cream and orange juice, and made 200 gallons of maple syrup annually. At that time, he employed six year-round employees and 10 in March and April during maple syrup season.

In 1957, he purchased the Wayside Grill on Route 4, enjoyed three years of successful ownership, and sold the business in 1960. In 1959, he married Virginia Blaisdell Huntoon, “Ginny.” In 1971, they sold the farm and business to Randall Gifford.

A business entrepreneur and avid outdoorsman, Ray was never idle. In the mid-1960s, he participated in whitewater canoe racing in Maine and won many of the races with partners Brud Hodgkins and George Walsh. Ray and George collaborated on designing and building strip canoes and sold their design to Mad River Canoe Co. It was called the “T.W.Special.” He was proud to discover that one of their originals is currently on display at Sea World in Florida. In ’68, ’69, ’70 and the spring of ’71, they entered the national whitewater races. In ’70, they lost by only 30 seconds after a two-hour, 10-minute paddle. They traveled as far as Indiana and took third in the slalom.

In the late ’60s and early ’70s, Ray was a trustee of the First National Bank. In 1970, he built a log cabin on “Chain of Ponds,” which he sold in ’81. In the early ’70s he worked as a guide part time at Big Island Sporting Camps at Colburn Gore for private guests. In ’77 and ’78, he managed King Bartlett Camps in Eustis, and in 1979 and ’80 purchased 130 acres of land in Industry from Olando Small and started organizing for the maple syrup business.

In 1981, he bought back the Titcomb Hill Farm and formed Maine Maple Products Inc. He bought over 90 percent of all syrup produced in northern Maine and from over 54 Canadian producers who came into Maine and hired trees to tap from the paper companies and set up Sugar Bush Camps for boiling. He went from selling 200 gallons of syrup to over one million pounds (11 pounds to a gallon) in 1986, when he sold to American Maple Products of Vermont because of poor health.

He built his log cottage on Clearwater Lake in 1989 and, though plagued by heart problems, he continued to manage Maine Maple Products until 1994. He and his wife, Ginny, retired and spent winters in Kissimmee, Fla. She predeceased him in April 1999, following a long illness.

In December 2001, he married Dorothy Comstock Judkins, and they enjoyed mutual interests of fishing, camping and hunting and divided their time between their home in Chesterville, a camp at Rockwood and wintering in Florida from November to May.

His grandchildren describe him as a teacher; he was always so generous with his time and desire to share his passions. He spent many joyous hours teaching them how to fly fish, hunt, ski, drive, play cribbage and to enjoy and respect the great outdoors.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy J. Titcomb of Chesterville; his stepfather, Burleigh Crockett and his wife, Corine, of Waterville; daughters, Susan Letts and her husband, Marty, of Naples, Fla., Peggy Palazzo and her husband, John, of Middletown, N.Y., and Deborah Mallett of Industry; stepson, Bruce Judkins and his wife, Bonnie, of Chesterville; and stepdaughter, Joline Merrill and her husband, Doug, of Florida, and their families; a sister, Patricia Clark and her husband, Carleton, of North Anson; grandchildren, Josh Marshall and his wife, Ali, Gil Palazzo, Jodi Palazzo, Samantha Mallett, Bridgette Mallett and Hollis Mallett; and two great-grandchildren, Max and Molly Marshall.

Condolences and tributes may be shared with his family on his memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com.