Raymond V. Ray Sr. Larson

VISITATION : 3-6:00 P.M. on Saturday, January 2, 2010 at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids, MN. A prayer service will be held at 6 P.M. Saturday evening, the 2nd, with Father Thomas Friedl officiating.INTERMENT : Linnell Cemetery near Ponsford, MN Sunday, May 30, 2009 at noon.SURVIVORS : Ray is survived by 5 children: Cynthia (Larson) Bahe and her husband, Steve, Rachael R. (Larson) Gifford and her husband, Robert, Angel (Larson) Felt and her husband, Jerry, Colleen (Larson) Iliff and her husband, Jeff, and Raymond V. Larson Jr; 15 grandchildren: Nathan, Autumn, Kyle, Amanda, Katie Ronning and Denali Bahe, Genevieve and Adam Larson, Michael A. Westlund and Kendra Riebe, Abigail and Katelyn Felt and Kristina, Ashton and Ethan Iliff; and 6 brothers. RAYMOND V. "Ray" LARSON Sr. March 7, 1939 " December 30, 2009 Raymond V. Larson Sr., age 70, of Ponsford, MN, passed away peacefully at Innovis Hospital in Fargo, ND on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 surrounded by his loved ones. Ray was born on March 7, 1939 in White Earth, MN, to Edward and Lucille (Brunette) Larson. He grew up and attended public school in Ponsford through the 8th grade. At the early age of 18, Ray ventured to California where he worked for a fencing company for a time. Ray then made his way to Minneapolis, MN while in his early 20s where he gained employment with Schafer Refrigeration for a number of years and then worked for Mobile Oil Company. Following his employment there, Ray moved back to the Park Rapids area, where he started his own business, Shell Lake Plumbing and Heating. He then made his home in Dorset, MN for a time. He moved back to Park Rapids where he started the Donaray Corporation where he sold parts and operated a plumbing and heating business for several years. He then started a business called Ray Larson Plumbing and Heating which he operated in the Park Rapids area until his retirement. When Ray was not busy with his plumbing and heating business, he enjoyed the out of doors especially when he could be fishing and he also raised beef cattle on a farm near Nimrod. Ray is survived by 5 children: Cynthia (Larson) Bahe and her husband, Steve, Rachael R. (Larson) Gifford and her husband, Robert, Angel (Larson) Felt and her husband, Jerry, Colleen (Larson) Iliff and her husband, Jeff, and Raymond V. Larson Jr; 15 grandchildren: Nathan, Autumn, Kyle, Amanda, Katie Ronning and Denali Bahe, Genevieve and Adam Larson, Michael A. Westlund and Kendra Riebe, Abigail and Katelyn Felt and Kristina, Ashton and Ethan Iliff; and 6 brothers. Ray was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Kevin Larson; and one sister, Gail. Visitation will be held 3-6:00 P.M. on Saturday, January 2, 2010 at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids, MN. A prayer service will be held at 6 P.M. Saturday evening, the 2nd, with Father Thomas Friedl officiating. Casketbearers will be: his son, Raymond Larson Jr., grandsons, Michael Westlund, Kyle Ronning and Nathan Ronning, and sons-in-law, Jerry Felt, Rob Gifford and Steven Bahe. Honorary casketbearers will be Ray"s brothers: Donovan Larson, Leonard Larson, Edward Larson, Alvin Gjestrum, William Crowell and Sam Crowell. Interment will be made in the Linnell Cemetery near Ponsford at noon on Sunday, May 30, 2010.