Raymond Vernon Linscheid
Raymond Vernon Linscheid, 81, died Aug. 22, 2005. He was
born Sept. 8, 1923, to Herbert and Sadie (Rupp) Linscheid in Mountain Lake,
Minn. As a youth, he attended school in Butterfield, Minn., and graduated from
high school with the class of 1941 as salutatorian. In 1938, Ray was baptized
upon confession of his faith and became a member of Butterfield Mennonite
Church. Ray was united in marriage to Betty Hartzler May 21, 1960, at First
Mennonite Church in Mountain Lake. After high school, Ray worked as manager and
operator of a local filling station for a couple of years. Ray spent four years
in Idaho working for his cousin at a farm implement business. After moving back
to Minnesota, he worked a number of years at an uncle's hardware store. He
became interested in locksmithing and actively enjoyed this venture until and
beyond his retirement. He also was a Butterfield substitute rural mail carrier
for 15 years and served as Butterfield Village clerk for four years. He built a
building in Butterfield and established his own short line implement business
for eight years. Then he went to work for an implement shop as a parts man in
Jackson, Minn., for four years.
Ray and Betty moved to Hesston in 1967 where he was employed
by Hesston Corp. as office and grounds maintenance for 18 years until his
retirement. In November 1988, they moved to Glendale, Ariz., to Glencroft
Retirement Community. Ray enjoyed volunteering his time and efforts to a
Christian community.
Ray enjoyed music and played first chair solo cornet with a
long-standing municipal band in Minnesota for 15 years. He enjoyed choral
singing and began in his home church in Minnesota, singing in church choirs in
Minnesota, Idaho, Kansas and Arizona. He also sang with the Mountain Lake
Choral Society a number of years, the Kansas Mennonite Men's Chorus for 18
years, the West Coast Mennonite Men's Chorus in California for eight years and
the Arizona Mennonite Men's Chorus. He also participated each Christmas in
Minnesota in a 200-member "Messiah" chorus with symphony orchestra
accompaniment for a number of years.
Ray had his first stroke March 21, 2003, and had four more.
He was at Glencroft Care Center for two years, five months until his death.
Survivors include: his wife of 45 years, Betty Linscheid of
Glendale, Ariz.; two brothers, Willis and Delmar of Butterfield; three nephews,
David, Donald and Lenny; a niece, Brenda; and many other relatives and friends.
Memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Oct. 8, 2005, at Trinity
Mennonite Church in Glendale. Memorial gifts may be sent to the Mennonite
Central Committee and Glencroft Retirement Center.
