Raymond L. Christensen

Raymond Lloyd Christensen, 95, of Clear Lake, passed away Friday, March 1, 2019, at Scenic Manor, Iowa Falls.

A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, 2019, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 North 4th Street, Clear Lake, with Reverend David Peterson officiating.  Burial will be held in the Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, prior to the celebration of life.

Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Hospice of North Iowa, Mason City.

Raymond L. Christensen was born July 25, 1923, in Clear Lake, son of Jens and Marie (Andersen) Christensen.  Ray attended rural school in LeRoy, Minn. He enlisted into the US Air Force in 1942, served during WWII and the Korean war, and was honorably discharged in 1951.  He also served in the Air Force Reserves for 20 years.  He also was able to be on the Honor Flight in 2011 that took him to Washington, DC.

Ray was united in marriage to Marlys Prescott on June 24, 1945, and to this union two children were born, Sandra and Pamela. Ray and Marlys moved back to the Clear Lake/Ventura area in 1946, where Ray loved farming and the cattle business. After his retirement in 1984, he moved to Clear Lake.

Ray was a member of the United Methodist Church, a life member of the Clear Lake VFW and was on the Farmers COOP Elevator Board for nine years.

Ray and Marlys loved to travel, they went on many cruises and even made it back to Denmark.  They wintered in Texas for 31 years.  He enjoyed woodworking and made many items for his family and friends.

Ray is survived by his two daughters, Sandra (Tom) Johnson, Iowa Falls, and Pamela (Don) DeBoise, of Emmett, Idaho; three grandchildren, Amy (Leland) Shipley, Matthew (Melissa) Johnson and Morgan (Dustin) Leeson; four great-grandchildren, Conner and Sarah Shipley, and Ethan and Jerome Leeson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jens and Marie Christensen; wife, Marlys Christensen; and four sisters.

Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.