
Sous
The Shelton Republican Town Committee will hold its annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner beginning at 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, 2018 at the LaSala Banquet Hall, 73 High Street, Derby.
During the evening, Ramon “Ray” Sous, Esq. will be presented with the Gov. John Davis Lodge Award in recognition of his many years of service to the City of Shelton. The John Davis Lodge award has been given annually since 1987 to recognize those who shared John Davis Lodge’s dedication to public service and the ideals America represents.
Ray grew up in Seymour where he attended local schools. A graduate of Hamden Hall Country Day School, he attended the University of the Americas in Mexico City and graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with an economics degree and Villanova University with a law degree.
Ray began his law career working for Bridgeport Legal Services where he aided Spanish-speaking clients. He went on to work at a couple of small law firms before opening his own law office in Seymour in 1974 where he practiced until retiring in 2017. During that time Ray served for two years as Seymour’s town attorney and for eight years as attorney for the Seymour WPCA. For over 22 years, he served as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Shelton.
An active member of the Shelton Republican Town Committee since 1974, where he serves on its Steering Committee, Ray currently is a Corporator of the Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He is a past president of the Valley YMCA and the Valley Bar Association and a former member of the Parish Council of Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Waterbury.
A Shelton resident since 1972, Ray and his wife, Patricia, have been married for nearly 49 years. They are the parents of two daughters and have three grandchildren. John Davis Lodge played many roles during his lifetime, including politician, ambassador, diplomat, lawyer, naval officer and actor. He served with the U. S. Navy as a lieutenant and lieutenant commander during August, 1942 to January, 1946 and was a liaison officer between the French and American fleets. He was decorated with the rank of Chevalier in the French Legion of Honor and with the Croix de Guerre with palm by General Charles de Gaulle. After the war he engaged in research work in economics. He retired from the U. S. Navy Reserve in 1966 with the rank of Captain.
He was elected from Connecticut’s 4th congressional district to the 80th and 81st Congresses, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 3, 1947 to January 3, 1951.
Elected as 62nd Governor of Connecticut, Gov. Lodge served January 1951 to January 1955. During his term, he turned an $11 million state deficit into a $17 million surplus and became well known for the construction of the Connecticut Turnpike.
As Governor, Lodge endorsed legislation that improved unemployment and workmen’s compensation benefits. Lodge headed the New England Committee, the first in our nation to investigate the peaceful uses of atomic energy.
Lodge served as United States Ambassador to Spain from January 1955 until January 1961, the longest term of any U.S. ambassador to that country. He then served as National President, Junior Achievement, Inc. during 1963 – 1964 and chairman, Committee on Foreign Policy Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania during 1964 – 1969.
During 1969 – 1973 he was appointed by President Richard Nixon as U. S. Ambassador to Argentina, remaining stalwart in his diplomatic duties through five different government regimes. He was President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Special Ambassador to Puerto Rico during 1942 and to Panama and Costa Rica during 1953 and was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland, serving from 1983 – 1985.
John Davis Lodge died in New York City on October 29, 1985 at age 83 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Lincoln-Reagan dinner tickets are $50/person and the event is open to the public. For tickets or more information about the dinner, please call Anthony Simonetti, Shelton RTC chair at 203 – 605-7712.