Raymond R. Muller 1922 - 2016

TRSEK, MULLER, ARENS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-volunteer (email)
Date: 12/2/2016 at 10:57:17

Onawa Democrat
30 November 2016

Raymond R. Muller, 94, of Whiting, Iowa formerly of Onawa, Iowa passed away on Saturday, November 19, 2016 at Pleasant View Care Center in Whiting, Iowa.

A funeral mass will be 10:30 A.M. Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at St. John's Catholic Church in Onawa, Iowa with Father Michael Erpelding, Celebrant, officiating. Military Honors will be provided by the Hindman-Steele American Legion Post #492 of Hornick, Iowa. Burial will be at 3:00 P.M. Wednesday, November 23, 2016 in the St. Joseph Cemetery, Constance, Nebraska. Visitation will be 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, November 22, 2016 with a scriptural wake service at 7:00 P.M. followed by the rosary at 7:30 P.M. at the Rush Family Chapel in Onawa, Iowa. Arrangements are under the direction of Rush Family Care Service in Onawa, Iowa.

Raymond was born May 3, 1922 in Winnetoon, Nebraska to Nicholas and Stella (Trsek) Muller. The family lived in rural Knox County, farmed and raised livestock. Ray attended SD #16 through 8th grade, then high school in Verdigre, NE.

He enlisted in the United States Navy on Election Day, 1940 and served for 6 years, primarily in mine warfare after WWII broke out. He served on the battleship Arkansas pre-war convoy to the North Atlantic; on the minelayer Keokuk in the Caribbean and then French North Africa when Casablanca was invaded; on the minesweeper YMS 401 which swept New York harbor, then deployed to the Pacific, sweeping Iwo Jima shoreline prior to the Marine landings; then stateside in New York. He was happy to share his Navy stories throughout his life.

He returned to Nebraska to meet his wife, Maryann (Arens) at a dance in Bow Valley, courted and married her February 14, 1949 in Crofton, Nebraska. They farmed in Central City (Nebraska) before moving to rural Onawa, Iowa, in 1955 to farm and raise their family. Ray took advantage of the veteran education benefit and, not having graduated high school, earned 2 years equivalent college credit in agriculture. Raymond considered himself to be progressive in farming and was an early irrigator in Monona County. He was passionate about farming and shared farming with his son Steve until his passing in 2001.

He was a member of St. John's Catholic Church in Onawa, the Knights of Columbus, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion Hindman-Steele Post #492, Hornick, Iowa.

Survivors include his wife Maryann, now of Whiting, Iowa; a daughter and her husband, Pam and Jim Miller of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; two grandsons, Jonathon Miller attending Pittsburg State University and Ryan Miller attending University of Northern Iowa; a brother Alfred Muller of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa; a sister Dorothy and her husband Robert Peterson of Norfolk, NE, a sister-in-law Thelma Muller of Hornick, Iowa; a sister-in-law Dolores Muller of Wausa, NE; a brother-in-law Don Arens of Yankton, SD; a sister-in-law Betty Arens of Crofton, NE; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Steven; and brothers Wallace, Don, Paul, and Leonard.

Memorials may be directed to the Burgess Foundation Hospice efforts in Onawa, Iowa.

Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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