Raymond Stoker, 04 July 1919 - 08 Mar 2007

STOKER, NEITZEL, RINEHART

Posted By: Netha M Meyer (email)
Date: 3/12/2007 at 20:35:25

Raymond was born the son of Fred and Martha Neitzel Stoker on July 4, 1919, near Guernsey, Iowa. He was raised on the family farm and was educated at Guernsey School, where he graduated with the Guernsey High School Class of 1937. He then attended 2 years of training at a technical school. Raymond served his country in World War II as a Sergeant First Class in the Army. He was united in marriage to Rachel Rinehart on September 18, 1949, at the Victor United Methodist Church and to this union two children were born, Marcia and David. The couple farmed and operated a dairy farm southwest of Guernsey until 1966, when Raymond began working for the local phone company as a technician. In 1971, he began working for General Telephone Company in Creston until his retirement in 1985. Raymond was a lifelong member of the St. John’s Lutheran Church south of Victor, a former member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Creston, where he was an elder, and was a member of the Deep River American Legion Post #296. He was an outdoorsman who enjoyed golfing, hunting and fishing. The couple enjoyed traveling to various destinations such as Nova Scotia, Switzerland, Alaska and Japan. He held a special love for radio communications, and was an amateur radio operator since 1939. His final radio transmission was delivered the morning prior to his death at the age of 87. Raymond died Thursday, March 8, 2007, at the home where he was born in Guernsey. He was 87 years of age and was preceded in death by his parents.
Raymond is survived by his wife Rachel Stoker of Guernsey; his children, Marcia (Gary) Schultz of Trenton, Texas, and David (Elizabeth) Stoker of Guernsey; his grandson Matt (Missy) Ogan of Malcom, Iowa; and his great grandchildren, Garrett, Halley, and Jessica Ogan of Malcom. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Memorials may be directed to St. John's Lutheran Church or to Grinnell Regional Hospice.

Smith Funeral Home, Victor\ Cedar Rapids Gazette, 11 Mar 07, 4b