Raymond Joseph Sturm (1937-2022)

STURM, LUKE, SAUNDERS, HOLDEN

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 6/8/2022 at 08:55:49

Raymond Joseph Sturm, 84, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away Friday, April 22, 2022 at Meadowview Memory Care in Cedar Rapids following a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Graveside Service: 10 a.m. Monday, June 13 at Cedar Memorial Cemetery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Teahen Funeral Home, Cedar Rapids will be in charge of arrangements.
Ray was born was born October 22, 1937 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa the son of Frank and Gladys Sturm and and remained a lifelong resident of the Cedar Rapids area. He graduated from Roosevelt High School and married his high school sweetheart Sandra Luke August 3, 1957. He and Sandy were blessed with four sons, Ted, Robert, David, and Steven.
Ray worked his career of over 40 years at Cherry Burrell (Evergreen Packaging). Ray had a love for fast-pitch softball and was a talented fast-pitch softball player for Midwest Janitors, Welty Way, and Modern Piping from the late-fifties to the mid-seventies. In fact, in 1971 his Welty Way team won the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) National Championship and represented the United States in the ASA World Tournament in the Philippines, bringing home a Silver Metal. Ray is a member of the Cedar Rapids Softball Hall of Fame. His legacy lives on in his family as and his #15 jersey became a signature number that was also worn by his sons, and grandchildren. Beyond raising his boys and playing softball, Ray was a fan of sports, had a keen eye for stock market investing, and was a role model son to his mother, Gladys “Mugga” Sturm. After his playing days were behind him, Ray took great pleasure in playing the role of “Papa” to his grandchildren, traveling to see his children, occasional day trips here and there, and most of all, growing old with Sandy by his side.
Survivors include his children, Ted (Kimberly) Sturm of Cedar Rapids, Robert Sturm of Shellsburg, David (Maguette) Sturm of North Fort Myers, FL, and Steven (Sue) Sturm of Grays Lake, IL; his grandchildren Scott (Lisa Hajek) Sturm, Jill (Jordon) Ahrendsen, Laura (Greg) Saunders, Mai (Corey) Holden, Rei (Weijia) Sturm, Aicha Sturm, Nataile Sturm, and Eric Sturm; great-grandsons Jax Sturm, and Logan Holden, and a great-granddaughter coming soon. Also surviving are numerous other relatives, especially Ray’s special cousin Doug (Millie) Havlick.
Ray was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years Sandra, his parents Frank Sr. and Mugga, parent’s in-law John and Genevieve Luke, step-father John Crumbaugh, and brother and sister-in-law Frank, Jr. and Kathy Sturm.
A special thank-you to staff at Meadowview Memory Care and Hospice of Mercy for the love and kindness given to Ray and his family.
Memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association at http://act.alz.org.
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