'More fun': Longtime McDonald Studio owner Ray Patnaude celebrates his 100th birthday

Ray Patnaude can’t walk through a grocery store or restaurant without being recognized.

Many high school alumni from South Bend from the last 50 or so years came to McDonald Studio for their senior photos. Others saw him at weddings, communions and engagements.

He is often greeted with smiles, handshakes and the phrase “more fun.”

“More fun” was how he directed the subjects to smile just a bit more. Yes, he is Mr. More Fun.

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Both McDonald Studio and Ray have a long history. The studio is 162 years in business. Ray will celebrate his 100th birthday on Aug. 9.

The family plans a party for the public from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5 at the Holy Family School cafeteria, 56405 Mayflower Road.

There will be a lot of fun. Maybe more fun.

Ray talked about his life, his family and his career recently from his home.

Sitting on the back porch with several of his five children, he touched on the highlights of his life, from his service in World War II in Europe and later in Japan to buying the studio and watching it develop. Then there has been retirement with a bit of slowing down.

He talked about his youth on a farm in Fowler, Ind. His son Ray Jr. said his dad was a bit of an entrepreneur and ran a movie projector and sold soda pop.

In Fowler, he found the girl of his dreams, Beulah, or Be. He attributes much of the business’ success to his wife, who had a head for marketing, an artist’s touch with oil paintings and who ran a tight ship.

They were married on Dec. 26, 1944. She had graduated high school and he was on a short leave from the army.

She died in 2012.

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Ray said his wife developed an idea for early success.

“She liked babies, and we decided to have a baby club for photographs,” he said. “Mothers brought the children in for pictures every six months.”

The idea was successful and had a following with young families. The baby pictures were used for display in the front window to keep the pedestrians interested, Ray Sr. said.

They had five children, Ray Jr., David, Philip, Chris and Paulette. Ray Sr. said all five worked in the studio and learned to take photos and work in the darkroom.

Ray Sr. entered semi-retirement in 1990. Son David and his wife, Annie, have the studio today. Annie said Ray Sr. did the books until about two years ago.

A little history lesson here. Albert McDonald started McDonald Studio in 1861 in South Bend. The studio changed locations several times. The first was on Wayne and Michigan streets. Many long-time residents would know it as the peanut shop. Now it’s part of the St. Joseph County Public Library.

The studio had four owners before Ray Sr. bought it in 1946. There were several locations, including North Michigan Street near the Morris Performing Arts Center. The studio moved to its present location on Lincoln Way in March 1982.

Back in the day, Albert McDonald took photos of most of South Bend’s historical players — from the Rev. Edward Sorin to Vice President Schuyler Colfax.

Those early negatives were on glass plates in the basement when a fire broke out in 1960. Much of that history was destroyed along with other photos.

It was shortly before the studio’s 100th anniversary.

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The studio soldiered on. Ray Sr. eventually took senior photos for eight high schools. Saturdays meant weddings — often three a day.

The elder Ray achieved the status of master photographer through the Professional Photographers of America. He was named a Sagamore of the Wabash along with other honors. The business flourished.

Then photography changed, and now everyone has a camera in their pocket. Ray Sr. said he hasn’t taken a photograph in 10 years. He doesn’t have high praise for digital. He gave an eye roll to a phone taking a good photo.

It has been a family business. Paulette remembers when the bus driver let her off at the studio because he knew where mom and dad were.

Everyone knew.

“My friends would see Mom and Dad out and the friends would remark that my parents talked to each other,” Paulette said. “Their parents did not. They had a special relationship.”

Paulette said that loving relationship, hard work, along with their faith gave them happiness and longevity.

Maybe also a healthy dose of “more fun.”

Contact Kathy at kfborlik@yahoo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend photographer Ray Patnaude turns 100; shot generations