Funeral services for Ray Ohrtman were held at 10:30 a.m., on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at United Lutheran Church in Ringsted, Iowa, with Vicar Kim Kacmarynski officiating.
Ray William Ohrtman, was born September 19, 1927, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, to Otto and Grace (Hunt) Ohrtman. He was the second of 6 children – Carl, Ray, Enfred, Dale, Frank, and Nancy. He married Clarice Nelson on December 11, 1948. Clarice passed away on May 1, 1989. He married Shirley Williams on December 27, 1998.
He started school in a one room schoolhouse when he was four and went through the eighth grade there. He then attended Ringsted High School and graduated in May of 1944 when he was only 16. He then attended the University of Iowa for a year and a half and two summer schools before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1946.
He farmed West of Emmetsburg from 1947 to 1951. He was called back into the Army Reserves in 1951 during the Korean Conflict. After his Honorable Discharge, he rented his father-in-law’s farm near Ringsted and later purchased it in 1955.
Ray and Clarice had 4 children – Stewart (Kathie Naig), Jeanne (Stephen Loomis), Diane (Neil Guess) and Steven (Debbie Fletcher). Ray and Clarice had 12 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.
In 2011, Ray and Shirley moved to Spencer and enjoyed retirement. We extend a special thank you to Shirley and her family for loving and taking care of dad over the many years. He truly loved you all. We thank you sincerely. Ray also has two step-daughters, Deb (Don) VanGilst and Tammy (Greg) Jones; 5 step-grandchildren and 14 step-great-grandchildren.
Ray loved to tell stories of growing up on the farm; the terrible winter of 1935/1936, his parents buying their first tractor when he was 8, playing baseball in school, driving the 1934 Chevy (school bus) World War II news and more.
Ray loved to think progressively. While in the Army in New Mexico, he was asked by his officers (he had exceptional eyesight) to track the telescope and report to the General the first rocket sent into space. The General told him after “you just saw the beginning of the space age.”
He built the first automatic cattle feeding setup in Northern Iowa in 1957. Iowa State Professors came to look at it. He bought one of the first big modern tractors with a cab. He continued to buy land throughout his life. He truly loved farming. When he was in his sixties, he went back to school! He was lonely after Clarice died and so he attended Iowa State’s Agricultural program for 2 winters and graduated with his degree. He said education is a lifetime effort and so very important.
Ray also loved his violin and old country music. He loved his collection of 70 antique tractors and pickups and passed them onto his family.
He loved playing with his grandchildren, fixing and riding go-carts, building tree houses, playing on the floor under the dining table with them, eating tomatoes off the vine and sprinkling salt on them on the go, building forts in the corn-crib, combine rides, letting them sleep with him in the red hotel when they were little, playing the fiddle, his kisses with his prickly beard, teaching them to shoot pool and more! “Such great loveable grandchildren”. He loved you all so much!
Ray was a great caretaker for family, friends, community, church and land. He served many years as the school board president and his church president. He was a most loving, gracious, generous, encouraging and faithful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. His love for us all will never be forgotten.
He loved to tell the story of when he was about 12 that his Sunday School teacher told the class “you are now at the age when you need to decide, will I go with the way of the Lord or with the ways of the world”? He chose to follow the Lord. He took his family to church every Sunday. He loved to tell us all that “The best is yet to come”. He is now smiling in Heaven with all the Saints who have gone before him.
Blessed be the memory of Ray Ohrtman.
