"Avelda, Patricia, Duane and JoAnn; Our Thoughs and prayers go out to you. Uncle Ray will be sorely missed. This tree that we have planted is in his honor. Love you"
Raymond L. "Ray" Bahr, 97, of Andrew, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Tuesday evening, January 4, 2022, at WestWing Place in DeWitt, Iowa.
A funeral service celebrating his life will be held at 11:30 A.M., Saturday, January 8, 2022, at Salem Lutheran Church in Andrew, Iowa. Visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at 9:30 A.M. at the church. Burial will be at the Andrew, Iowa Cemetery. The Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa is caring for the family.
Raymond LaVern Bahr was born on February 4, 1924, in Spragueville, Iowa, to Claus and Dora (Berg) Bahr. He was Baptized and Confirmed at Salem Lutheran Church in Spragueville and was a 1943 graduate of Preston High School. He married Avelda Hankemeier on September 20, 1948, at Salem Lutheran Church in Andrew. Four children were born to this union, Patricia, Duane, Galen and Joann.
Ray was a lifelong farmer. From 1948 to 1955 Ray and Avelda farmed west of Spragueville. In 1956 they purchased a farm north of Andrew at Cottonville. They moved from the farm into Andrew in 1987 but Ray continued farming until present.
Ray was a member of Salem Lutheran Church in Andrew where he served on the church council and sang in the church choir. He also was a member of the Jackson County Farm Bureau and had served on the board of directors of C & J Farm Services.
Ray loved the land he farmed his entire life. After moving to Andrew, he took up woodworking as a hobby and made many pieces of furniture for family members including making a cedar chest for each grandchild. He also enjoyed fishing trips to Minnesota and the backwaters with his boys.
Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Avelda Bahr of Andrew, IA; children, Patricia (Milt) Cornelius of Andrew, IA, Duane (Diane) Bahr of Rural Andrew, IA, and Joann (Craig) Sieverding of Bellevue, IA; 9 grandchildren, Philip Cornelius, Nathan (Kristin) Cornelius, Noah (Danielle) Cornelius, Christina (John) Schneider, Carrie (Sean) Petesch, Aaron (Tasha) Bahr, Tyler (Kelli) Sieverding, Emily (Chad) Feller, and Alex (Miranda Straw) Sieverding; and 17 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son Galen, brother LaVern, and sister Gladys Schnoor Derganz.
In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, a Raymond L. "Ray" Bahr memorial fund has been established.
Online condolences may be left at www.CarsonAndSon.com.
"Avelda, Patricia, Duane and JoAnn; Our Thoughs and prayers go out to you. Uncle Ray will be sorely missed. This tree that we have planted is in his honor. Love you"
"Of all the many blessings However great or small To have had you for a Uncle Was the greatest one of all. The family chain is broken now and nothing seems the same But as God takes us one by one The chain will link again."
"Duane, Diane, Avelda and all of Ray?s family, You have my deepest condolences for the loss of your Dad, husband and Grandpa. He was a very nice man. God blessed him with a long life filled with love. God?s peace be with you now as your journey through this loss. Ruth Jost"
"Aunt Avelda, Cousins Patricia, Duane, Joanne and all your families, My heartfelt sympathy to you all. Uncle Ray was a great role model for me growing up. Some of my best memories are baling hay with Uncle Ray and Cousin Galen. Ray would bale in the field and Galen and me would run the loads in and pack the barn. We worked hard and made an efficient team. There was always a wonderful meal around noon prepared by Aunt Avelda at the kitchen table. Those were very good days. I like to think that Uncle Ray and Cousin Galen are together haying again. Richard Hankemeier Hamilton, Montana"
"The Bahr family, Pat & Milt, Duane & Diane & families. So sorry to hear of Ray's passing. Our thoughts & prayers are with you. LuAnn & Lee Streeter"
"Avelda and family we are saddened by your loss of your dear husband Ray and father, what a wonderful Christian, farmer and friend Ray was! Always a kind welcoming word and smile to share when we greeted him. You were blessed with many years of having Ray in your family, but now he has joined the Lord our Savior in our eternal home where he has joined his precious son Galen who has been waiting for a loved one for many years. Please accept our heartfelt condolences as you grieve your loss of Ray, we send our love, prayers and blessings during this journey as a family saying goodbye for now to Ray?? "
"Sorry for your loss. Will keep your family in our prayers Joanne (Felderman) and Cliff Elley"
"Duane, Diane and family, I'm sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. "
"So sorry for your loss. Thinking of you and the family. Adam Hankemeier and family"
"We are so sorry to hear of Ray passing but knowing he is at home with the Lord! My husband Dwayne ..brother Rid and sister in law Gloria have precious memories of the few times we spent on the farm with Ray and Avelda when we were first dating and then during our early years of marriage..There doing was alway open to share in what they had! We have been truly blessed to know them both! We are keeping the family in thoughts and prayers! Dwayne and Wendy Genant Dummer"
"My deepest condolences to you, Joann, and your family."
"Duane, Diane & family, So sorry for your loss. Wishing you comfort & peace. Bill & Wendy Hainstock "
"We?re so sorry to hear of your loss, Noah. Our sympathy to you and your family. Bonnie and Ron "
"My Deepest Sympathy to his Family. "
"Sending thoughts and prayers to you all. So sorry for your loss."
"Deepest Sympathy to the Bahr family"
"Deepest Sympathy to the Bahr family"
"Uncle Ray was a wonderful man. He was like a father to my mother Gloria. I have fond memories of being out at his farm when I was a young girl where he took this city girl out to bale hay on his john deere tractor. I will never forget that summer. He lived a full, successful life. What a tremendous legacy! My prayers with Aunt Avelda and the entire Bahr family."
"Condolences to your families at the passing of Ray."
"Great guy,great farmer.loss of great son too,gone way to early!"
"So sorry to hear about the passing of Ray. Heaven gained another great farmer! May you find peace through all of your great stories and memories. Milan and Sherrie James"