Raymond C. Thoirs
Corporal
Company B
104th Engineer Regiment
Entered the Service from: New Jersey
Died: October 5, 1918
Buried at: Harleigh Cemetery
Haddon Avenue
Camden NJ
Raymond C. Thoirs
Introduction
Memorial service program for Raymond C. Thoirs — December 8, 1918
Corporal Raymond Campbell Thoirs was born April 8, 1896 to James M. and Nellie Thoirs. The family lived at 524 Market Street in Camden NJ, where James Thoirs began operating as a florist in 1888. Raymond Thoirs had been a member of the Camden Lodge 111, Loyal Order of Moose, and as a member of Calvary Presbyterian Church, a member of the Calvary Caledonians prior to his military service.
Raymond Thoirs enlisted in Company B, New Jersey Engineers on April 30, 1917. He was sent to Camp McClellan, Anniston AL for training; he became a member of Company B, 104th Engineers when that unit was organized at Camp McClellan. The 104th sailed for France on June 20, 1918.
The 104th Engineers had just left Malincourt, France and was on its way to the Argonne Forest when Corporal Thoirs was wounded on September 25, 1918. He died as a result of his wounds on October 5, 1918, at the age of 22.
On December 8, 1918 a memorial service was held for Corporal Thoirs at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Camden NJ.
Honor Roll
Raymond C. Thoirs — Camden County World War I Honor Roll
Memorial Service Program
Calvary Presbyterian Church —
Memorial Service
in honor of
Corporal Raymond Campbell Thoirs
Calvary Presbyterian Church
Camden, New Jersey
Sunday Evening, December 8th, 1918
7:30 o’clock
Raymond Campbell Thoirs
son of
James M. and Nellie R. Thoirs
Born, April 6th, 1896.
Enlisted, April 10th, 1917.
Company “B,” New Jersey Engineers, transferred to 104th Engineers Train at Camp McClellan, Anniston, Ala.
Died in France on October 4th, 1918, from wounds received in action.
Member of Anniston Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Anniston, Ala.
Member of Camden Lodge, Loyal Order of Moose, No. 111.
Member of Calvary Caledonian Club.
Not a year ago he left us,
How we miss his loving face,
But he left us to remember
None on earth can fill his place.
He marched away so bravely,
His young head proudly held,
His footsteps never faltered,
His courage never failed.
Peaceful be thy rest, dear Raymond,
‘Tis sweet to breathe thy name;
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we do the same.
Far away from his native land,
With a simple cross at his head,
He fought and died for Freedom,
One of God’s honoured dead.
He fought, but not for love of strife,
He struck but to defend;
He stood for liberty and truth,
A soldier to the end.
Like other heroes side by side,
They died that others might live.
Order of Services
1. Organ Prelude.
2. Hymn.
3. Invocation.
4. Responsive Reading — Psalm 91.
5. Selection — Choir.
6. Scripture Lesson — John 14:1–31.
7. Prayer.
8. Selection — Choir.
9. Memorial Messages.
(1.) Sunday School Superintendent — Joseph H. Robinson
(2.) Sunday School Teacher — Andrew R. Robinson
(3.) Session — Ed. L. Seabrook
(4.) Trustees — Frank K. Nye
(5.) Friends — I. S. Slack
(6.) Former Sunday School Superintendent — A. R. Rowell
(7.) Camden L.O.O.M. — Frank W. Tussey
(8.) Assisting Pastor — Rev. Samuel D. Price, D.D.
(9.) Pastor — Rev. Irving J. Shafer
10. Changing the Blue Star to Gold.
11. Hymn.
12. Sermon — John 14:27 — Rev. I. J. Shafer. “The Promise of the Supreme Sacrifice”
13. National Anthem.
14. Benediction.
15. Organ Postlude.
Gravesite
Harleigh Cemetery, Camden NJ
Thoirs family gravesite — Harleigh Cemetery, Camden NJ