Raymond A Funke passed away peacefully Dec. 2, 2022.

FUNKE—Raymond A Funke passed away peacefully Dec. 2, 2022, at the age of 92.

He was born in Eugene, Ore., on June 29, 1930, to Ernest O. and Flora E. Funke (Lindley). He was the youngest of three children. His siblings, Ivan Funke and Edna Steers preceded him in death.

Growing up, he worked on the family farm at an early age. He graduated from Siuslaw High school, with letters in football and basketball. He was able to attend college by enrolling in the ROTC program and chose Oregon State College (Oregon State University).

At college, he met and married Laura Lee Gilbert; they were married on July 1, 1951. 

Ray and Laura moved to Portland when Ray accepted a position in sales at a local cutlery shop.  It was there they started their family and their first daughter, Jennaree, was born in 1953. 

Helping out with the family farm called them back to Florence, where they raised their four children.

Growing up on the farm was no different for Ray and Laura’s children than it had been for Ray. Everyone participated in chores, ranging from feeding cattle in winter, adopting orphan lambs and hand feeding them, to harvesting vegetables and fruits to preserve.

In 1968, the family moved to Pleasant Hill, Ore., where they lived until retiring. While living in Pleasant Hill, Ray had several successful careers starting as a stockbroker and ending as a driver for Coast to Coast stores; whatever he did he was always hard working and successful and loved what he did.

Ray loved all things outdoors. He hunted duck, deer, antelope and elk. He loved fishing, clamming and crabbing. After retirement, Ray and Laura spent several summers in Alaska fishing for halibut and salmon.

Later in retirement, Ray and Laura moved to Terpening Terrace, where they lived until passing. Ray loved the Sunday drives, never missed a bingo game and made many, many friends.

Ray is survived by his children: Jenny Masengil and her husband Mike (Landaker), Laurie Willis and her husband Jim, Julie Dewsnup, Andrew Funke and his wife Ann; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

His wife Laura preceded him in death in 2017.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, Jan. 28, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Elks Lodge in Florence.

He was the oldest living charter member of the Florence lodge until his passing.

Donations can be made to the Diabetes Community Care Team (www.dcct.life) in his name.

Burns’s Riverside Chapel Florence Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.