Ray Neuschwander

Raymond Armour Neuschwander was born October 10, 1914 to Ray and Leila Neuschwander at Foxhome, MN. At the age of five the family moved to the Wadena area. In 1932 Raymond graduated from Wadena High School. After graduation Ray rode with cattle in the railcars to Massachusetts and California. He remained in California for two years working in the Colnbrooke Dairy farm. While there he attended the 1938 Rose Bowl Parade and Rodeo. Returning to Minnesota he worked at the Wadena Equity Creamery. September 16, 1944 Raymond married the girl of his dreams, Edna Mae Skalisky. Their daughter, Sharon, was born in 1945. They moved to Redfield, SD, where Ray worked in the creamery. Both Ray and Edna processed hundreds of pheasants during the hunting season. In 1948 Edna purchased the Highway Café in Wadena and Ray worked on the Highway 10 survey crew. Later Ray started work at Northern Cooperatives (Cenex). Ray was employed by them and drove truck until his retirement in 1979. Ray enjoyed fishing, duck, pheasant, and deer hunting, time at the cabin on Deer Lake and traveling the United States with Edna. Ray was a member of the United Methodist Church in Wadena since 1944, when he and Edna Mae were married. Ray leaves behind daughter Sharon (Dennis) Johnson of Fountain Hills, AZ; granddaughters Dawn (Mike) Burna, their sons Jasper and Steven of Milaca, Jennifer Berg of CA, and her sons Devin and Tyler, and her daughter Courtney of St. Louis Park, Heather (Shawn) Dunbarr of El Cajon, CA, and their sons Joshua, Michael, and Matthew; step-granddaughters Julie Berglund, Jill Cremers, Jodi Cremers and their families; brother Jim (Janice) of Dayton; sister Ruth (Larry) Anderson of Verndale; sister-in-law Barbara Neuschwander of Wadena; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Raymond was preceded in death by his wife, Edna Mae, in 2007; his parents, Ray and Leila; brothers Errold, Joseph, Dale, Max and a baby sister. Ray had resided at the Elder’s Home in New York Mills since November of 2006, until the time of his death on January 16, 2010, at the age of 95 years. Funeral services were held on January 22, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. in the United Methodist Church in Wadena, with Pastor Shirley Nelson officiating. Pallbearers were Gary Neuschwander, Mark Neuschwander, Scott Neuschwander, Bob Skarka, Devin Johnson, and Tyler Berg. Interment was in the Wadena Cemetery in Wadena.

Ray Neuschwander

October 10, 1914 - January 16, 2010