Raymond John Else 1917-2007

ELSE, TEUT, GODBERSEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 5/24/2008 at 21:08:00

Sioux City Journal
25 August 2007

Raymond John Else
MAPLETON, Iowa -- Raymond J. Else, 90, died Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007 at Maple Heights Nursing Home, Mapleton.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Mapleton with the Rev. Scott Fiege officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Mapleton. Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at the Armstrong Funeral Home in Mapleton.

Raymond John Else was born July 7, 1917, at Ricketts, Iowa the son of John and Anna (Teut) Else. He was baptized in the Lutheran faith in Soldier Township and confirmed in 1930 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Mapleton. He attended Mapleton High School, graduating in 1935 as president of the graduating class.

On Jan. 21, 1945, he was united in marriage to Phyllis Godbersen at Mapleton. The couple lived and farmed on the farm where Phyllis was born and raised. They retired in 1992 and moved in to Mapleton. After retirement from farming, he worked for 12 years for Keith Miller in his farming operation.

Ray was a lifetime member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Mapleton where he served on the Board of Education for 15 years, the Board of Trustees for three years, the Board of Discipleship for six years, the Board of Stewardship for six years, and was secretary of St. Matthew for five years. He was the first secretary to record the minutes in English, having formerly been recorded in German. He was chairman of the Parsonage Building Committee, a member of the St. Matthew Education Building Committee and taught Bible Class and was a Sunday School teacher for 40 years.

Survivors include Phyllis, his wife of 62 years; one son, Dr. James (Crista) Else of Mapleton and their children Zachary, Elias and Lucas Else; four daughters, Judy Smith of Lexington, Kentucky and her children, Sonya Caruso and Gwenn Handerhan; Carol (Richard) Miley of Hendersonville, North Carolina and their children, Jenny Heichelbech and Elise Miley; Diane (Michael) Fahley of Minneapolis, Minn.; and Patricia (Stephen) Watrous of Grimes, Iowa and their children, Austin and Alicia Watrous.

Raymond was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Oren who was killed in World War II; and two sisters, Helma Rowedder and Alvera Ruchti.

(note from family member: Gwenn is the daughter of Judy Smith and the sister of Sonya Caruso)

Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen