Ray Julius Goldammer, 27 Feb 1931 - 29 Oct 2022

GOLDAMMER, HORAK, TOMPKINS, MEEK, HAWKINS, STONE, DARO, DUNAFON, MCMICKEN, KOHLOR, KASTRUP, DAVIS, RORTINA, OTT, LOFTUS

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 11/10/2022 at 14:29:26

Ray J. Goldammer, age 91, of Marengo, passed away, Saturday, October 29, 2022 at Rose Haven Nursing Home, Marengo, where he had been a resident for three years. Funeral service: 11:00 a.m., Saturday, November 5, 2022, at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, with Rev. Diane Vorhies officiating. Visitation: 10:00 a.m., until service time at 11:00 a.m., at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo. Interment will be in the Marengo Cemetery, Marengo. Memorials may be contributed to Essence of Life Hospice or the Dementia Research Foundation. Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo is assisting the family with arrangements.

Ray Julius Goldammer was born February 27, 1931, to Otto W. and Josephine Horak Goldammer, in Russellville, MO. Ray had a twin, Roy A. Goldammer. Ray was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church, Russellville, MO and later confirmed on April 14, 1946. He graduated from Russellville High School, Russellville, MO, on May 19, 1949. He moved to the Marengo area as a farm hand, where he was introduced to Mary Tompkins. Ray and Mary were united in marriage on July 1, 1951, at the First Presbyterian Church, Marengo.

Ray and Mary moved to the Sand Hills in Nebraska, where Ray was a ranch hand for a couple years. They returned to the Marengo area where Ray was employed at several places over the years; Iowa Steel, Bob’s 66, Ray’s 66, that he owned and operated, Amana Refrigeration, and retired from the Iowa Department of Transportation in 1974. Ray and Mary moved out to the farm on Highway 212 after Ray’s retirement, and raised chickens, cows and enough produce for Iowa County.

Ray is survived by his daughters Jeanette (Roger) Meek, of Beloit, KS and Donna Hawkins, of Holts Summit, MO; grandchildren, Tonya (Joseph) Stone, of Jamestown, MO, Robert (Amanda) Hawkins, of Holts Summit, MO, Nick (Veronica) Meek, of Omaha, NE, Chad (Tonya) Meek, of Leraysville, PA, Bret Meek, of Gatesville, TX, Cory (Becky) Meek, of Winfield, KS and Kayla Meek, of Concordia, KS; 14 great-grandchildren, Shelby (Blake) Daro, Brooke Stone, Audrey Hawkins, Bryan Hawkins, Lucas Dunafon, Andrew Meek, Miranda (Josh) McMicken, Jesse Meek, Bryanna (Tevin) Kohler, Shyanne (Dalton) Kastrup, Maria Davis, Sapphire Davis, Sebastian Rortina and Lily Meek; five great-great-grandchildren, Annabelle, Noah and Paityn McMicken, and Sutton and Easton Kastrup; a sister Della Ott of Russellville, MO; and several nieces and nephews. Ray had special visitors while he was a resident of Rose Haven, his niece Mary Ann Goldammer and Joe Loftus.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Mary, his parents Otto and Josephine Goldammer, his siblings Herbert, David, Roy, Alfred, Hugo, Otto, Irvin, Viola, Regina and Martha.

Published in The Hometown Current on November 9, 2022, an abbreviated version was published in The Gazette on November 2, 2022.