Raymond Francis Klassen

Raymond Francis Klassen passed away peacefully at his home in Cedar City, Utah on August 3, 2020, just one month before his 90th birthday.  His wife of 65 years, Almyra Elaine Hewitt, was by his side.  They were married on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1955 at The Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ray was born in Fargo, North Dakota on September 17, 1930 to John Klassen and Anne Marie Koenigs.  He is survived by his sister and brother, Rita (John) and Tom (Jane).  His brothers Sylvester “Whitey” (Mary), Francis (died as an infant), and Victor “Vic” (Beverly) preceded him in death.

If you asked his children, Lowell (Annette), Rayette (Richard), and Lorne would use the words quiet, reserved, patient, kind, and devoted, among many others to describe their father.  He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, Hannah, Lauren (Stephen), Sam, Ray, Adelyn, Megan (Hunter) and Blake, introducing them to county poker, Austin City Limits, cribbage, and his radio controlled airplanes. Anna, his first great-grandchild was born just a few weeks prior to his passing.

Ray served in the United States Air Force, and received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from North Dakota State University. His career as a heating and air conditioning engineer took him from Texas to Minnesota.  As a family, they enjoyed the majority of their time in Aurora, Missouri.

After his retirement, Ray and Almyra spent two years exploring the coast of the United States on their sailboat, the Serendipity.  He had always talked about exploring the Mississippi on a boat, but instead they traveled the Intracoastal Waterway, to the Bahamas, and throughout the Florida Keys.  When they returned to land, they spent several years on the banks of Table Rock Lake near Shell Knob, Missouri before moving closer to family in Southern Utah.

In his leisure time, Ray enjoyed playing bridge, a round of golf, building, flying and repairing his radio-controlled airplanes, visiting the racetrack and placing a few bets on the horses, and a cold Miller draft.

Graveside services and burial were held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Moorhead, Minnesota on August 10, 2020.