Raoul was born to William and Mathilde Plante in St. Hyacinthe, Canada on April 30, 1915. He was the 13th child born to the couple, twelve of whom survived to adulthood. Raoul came to Woonsocket at the age of 16 months. Shortly after his arrival he contracted meningitis which left him with permanent hearing loss. His formal education was minimal and he began working in the mills at a young age. He became a wool sorter at the Argonne Worsted soon after his marriage to Lillian Fontaine in 1936. He stayed with Argonne until its relocation to the South. The work at this plant was generally seasonal, working 8-9 months per year. When not working at Argonne he worked at Star Carbonizing where he performed the same duties as a wool sorter. Raoul was also an experienced carpenter and he used these skills to supplement his mill income.
After most of the mills either left or closed, Raoul became a licensed boiler operator and worked in this capacity for many years at L'Hospice St. Antoine.
Raoul passed away in North Smithfield on August 17, 1986.