Raymond L. Heller Band director, musician, Rutherford HS teacher, family man -- and the guiding force behind the Rutherford Community Band across 52 years Raymond L. Heller, 86, of Rutherford, N.J., passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015, in Hackensack University Medical Center, after a brief illness, due to complications from a mitral heart valve failure. The family will receive friends today from 6 to 9 p.m. and on Friday from 1 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Ray was born and grew up in Flushing Queens, N.Y. After high school, he was drafted into the Army, where he served with the Army engineers at the nuclear test sites in the Nevada desert; he also played trumpet with the Army band. After being discharged, Ray began his formal music education at the Juilliard School of Music, then later transferred to Columbia University's Teachers College, where he earned his B.S. and M.S. in music education in 1958. After graduation, Ray was recruited to work as a music teacher in the Rutherford school system by Bill Hutzel, the current music department supervisor and Rutherford High School band director. Ray started out teaching in the elementary schools, where he met the love of his life, Betty Heller, who was teaching second grade at Lincoln School. They soon married in 1960. Ray also became involved with playing trumpet in both the Rutherford Community Band and the Waldwick Community Band. After Bill Hutzel's untimely death in 1963, Ray moved up to become the R.H.S. band director, Music Department supervisor and leader of the Rutherford Community Band. Ray conducted, managed, and ran the community band for the past 52 years, conducting over 600 concerts. He encouraged both young and old to come together to make great music together. Ray thought there should be a proper performance venue for the community in Lincoln Park. He was the driving force behind funding and building the Hutzel Memorial Band Shell in the early 1970's. After retiring from the school system, Ray devoted his life to managing the Rutherford Community Band, spending time making music with his grandchildren, and caring for his beloved wife during her time of illness later in life. Ray is survived by his three sons and their families, Dave of Salinas, Calif.; Rick, his wife, Judith, and their children, Rebecca and EmilySusan of Livingston, N.J., and Bill, his wife, Kirsten, and their children, Abby, Logan and Ryan of Wayne, N.J. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Rutherford Community Band, a qualified 501(c)(3) charity, c/o Joe Barbera, Treasurer, 16 Green Meadow Lane, Clifton, N.J. 07013-1705. "He lays his conductor's baton on the stand, exits stage right, and the world is hushed."