Raymond Alvin Edgar 1919-2013

EDGAR, LOVELAND, WOLF, COLE, WESTMARK, HENLEY

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 3/22/2018 at 10:35:50

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Sunday, June 2, 2013

Raymond Alvin Edgar, 94, passed away peacefully Monday, May 27, 2013, after a brief hospitalization.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, June 3, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1755 Delhi St., followed by a luncheon. Burial will be in Dubuque Memorial Gardens, south of Dubuque. Friends may call from 3 to 7 p.m. today at Hoffman-Schneider-Kitchen Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 3860 Asbury Road, where there will be a Masonic service at 6:30 p.m.

He was born on May 25, 1919, in La Crosse, Wis., son of Loren Lee and Jennie Ellen (Loveland) Edgar. A graduate of La Crosse Central High, he also attended La Crosse Vocational and University of Wisconsin-

La Crosse before enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1940. As part of the first Fighter Squadron of the 5th Air Force to be sent to the Pacific, he served in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines, earning a Bronze Star and a wartime commission as an ordnance officer. Discharged in 1945, 1st Lt. Edgar married his sweetheart, Irene M. (Wolf) Edgar, in La Crosse in 1946, a marriage that lasted more than 65 years.

Briefly working in La Crosse, they moved to Dubuque, where he spent 35 years with Thermolyne Corporation. Initially Ray was the plant manager at the old Huff Street plant and retired as head of purchasing.

As a youth he was an Eagle Scout, a DeMolay (recipient of the Legion of Honor) and an excellent swimmer and gymnast. As an adult, he was a wonderful father to their children Gerald, Sandra and Linda and later to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Ray was active in the community with such groups as Dubuque Traffic Club, Dubuque Little Theater, Jackson-Dubuque Mental Health, The Finley Hospital Care Review, the Great River Museum, professional purchasing associations, Mosaic Lodge 125 AF&AM, past master and secretary, High-Twelve Club, Scottish Rite and Kaaba Shrine. His frequent volunteering as "Santa," helping neighbors and other endeavors led to a State Volunteer Award from Governor Branstad. He also was very active with

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.

Surviving are his son, Gerald (Virginia), and their children, Lee (Marybeth) and Charity, Sandra (Tom) Cole, and their children, Julia Westmark, Ted (fiance, Alicia) Westmark and Linda (Bob Vargas); great-grandchildren, Caroline, Iris, Grant and Sophie; several nephews and nieces; and sisters-in-law, Ruth Henley and Helen Edgar.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Irene); brother, Lloyd Edgar; and several in-laws.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts to the Order of DeMolay, Holy Trinity Lutheran or a charity of your choice.

The family thanks his many friends at Oak Park, Mosaic, Holy Trinity, his very recent caregivers at Dubuque Nursing & Rehab and Pastor Flater. Thank you!