Raymond Roloff (1942-2021)

ROLOFF, HANSON, ROLOFF-HETZER

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 3/24/2021 at 21:42:12

Raymond Carl Roloff, 78, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away March 22, 2021, at the Hospice House of Mercy after fighting a year-long courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Visitation: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, March 26, with a memorial service following at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services in Cedar Rapids.
Friends and extended family are invited to watch the service via livestream. Please find the livestream link on Ray's tribute wall and share your support and memories with his family at www.stewartbaxter.com under obituaries.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Patricia; children, Christina (Chris) Pipkin, Raymond Carl Roloff III, Virginia Smith and Thomas (Tassanee) Roloff; grandchildren, Braydon, Myles, Carissa, Abigail, Mya, Adara and Kairon; and his beloved cat, Stevie.
Raymond Carl Roloff was born Sept. 9, 1942, in LaCrosse, Wis., to Raymond Carl Roloff Sr. and Mary Virginia (Hanson) Roloff-Hetzer. Ray grew up in the Minneapolis, Minn. area with his siblings, Diana, Judy, Sharon, Patty, Linda and David. Ray joined the Army right after graduating from high school and did multiple tours of duty in Vietnam serving as a medic with the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade. After returning home and marrying the love of his life, Pat, he made his career in the Army. He was integral to starting the School of Perfusion at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and retired from the Army in 1984 as a Sargent First Class after 22 years of service. Ray went on to become a perfusionist with the heart program in Minot, N.D., and eventually moved with his family to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1986. Ray worked as a perfusionist at St. Luke's Hospital for 20 years and officially retired in 2007.
Ray was known as "Butchie" to his family. He loved to travel, research genealogy, and collect old newspapers, magazines and records. He enjoyed listening to music from the '40s through the '70s and singing along. He loved old cars, feeding the deer and taking care of his family. He was a lifelong Minnesota Vikings fan and was a season ticket holder for decades, SKOL!
Ray was preceded in death by his parents; his stepfather, Kenneth Hetzer; his sister, Judy (Roloff) House; and his special calico cat, Gizmo.
Memorials can be directed to Hospice House Mercy or to the Cedar Valley Animal Shelter.