Raymond Ernest Boyer of Brooklyn Park, MN, age 90½, was born on September 18, 1911 on a farm north of Canby, Minnesota in Yellow Medicine County. He was the tenth child of Bernard and Anna (Staebler) Boyer. Raymond was baptized September 24, 1911 at St Peter's Catholic Church in Canby. Ernest and Anna Koppert were witnesses. In February 1912, at five months of age, he was brought with the family to their new farm 5 miles south of Wadena, Minnesota.

He attended rural school in Wadena County through the second grade. In1919, the family moved to another farm closer to the city and Raymond was sent to St. Ann's Parochial School.

On the day after Thanksgiving in November 1928 while employed feeding a corn shredder on a farm, a knife that was used to cut the twine on the corn bundles got caught in the machine and he was drawn into the cutting rollers which severed his right arm at the shoulder.

Although he had not been in school for a few years, he returned after New Years Day in 1929 to the Wadena High School from which he graduated in1932. During his Senior year at the high school he was class president and business manager of the school newspaper.

He then enrolled at the University of Minnesota and took a terminal course in Agricultural Journalism. Due to a shortage of funds, Ray had to termi¬nate his college education after six months.

In the spring of 1932, while attending a house party at a farm, Ray met Lola Cheney. Lola Margaret Cheney, born in Bertha, M¬N March 24, 1915, is the daughter of John Wales and Mary Alice (Tramm) Cheney. After a courtship period, Ray and Lola were married September 23, 1933 at St Ann's parish house in Wadena, MN.

At the end of a brief honeymoon, Ray and Lola took up residence in a house on 3rd Street, Bertha, MN. Initially Ray worked at a number of jobs which included working as a laborer, loan officer in the Federal Feed and Seed Department at Long Prairie, assistant to the County Extension Agent for Todd County, and time keeper for the Works Progress Administration, better known as the WPA.

On January 3rd, 1938, after successfully completing Federal Examinations, Mr. Boyer was appointed as an Interviewer in the United States Employment Service. His work in that position made it necessary for the family to move to Little Falls, Minnesota. In early 1943 a medical disaster struck the Boyer family when all five of the children came down with the measles. After a quarantine period the children all recovered only to come down with scarlet fever.

On March 9th, 1943, as a result of promotions after Civil Service Examination, Mr. Boyer was asked to transfer to Bemidji, Minnesota as Manager of the Bemidji Office of the United States Employment Service and as Area War Manpower Director. He served in those capacities until June of 1946 when the State of Minnesota assumed the operation of all the public employment services in the state. In April 1943 he moved Lola and the five children to a rented house on Irvine Avenue in Bemidji. Here again all five children came down with the chicken pox followed by the mumps. During 1943 Ray and Lola bought their first home at 2319 Birchmont Drive in Bemidji. In 1947 Ray and Lola bought a home on 912 Park Avenue in Bemidji.
In June 1946, Ray was transferred to the State Agency in the capacity of Office Manager and Area Director for the Counties of Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater and Hubbard. He worked as such until January 2nd, 1976. After retirement he did work as a consultant for a number of clientele relating to manpower matters. In 1975, Ray was presented an award for "outstanding performance to the young people of the community through Job Corps Recruitment."

During his working career in Bemidji, Mr. Boyer devoted himself to many civic activities. He was a member of the Bemidji Chamber of Commerce for many years and served on the New Industry committee of the Chamber. He also was President of the Bemidji Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1945-46. He was instrumental in staging the first Bemidji Summer Paul Bunyan Water Carnival. He used his office with the JC's to work with the Bemidji State University to sponsor the Winter Concert Series, which were put on at the High School Auditorium for several years.

He was a member and served as Alderman from the Fifth Ward on the Bemidji City Council in 1946-47. In 1978 he was elected and served as First District County Commissioner for Beltrami County until January 1983.

In 1981 Ray and Lola built a new home, for the two of them, on the lot next to their home at 912 Park Avenue. They lived there until 25 Sep 1986 when they moved to a new town house in Brooklyn Park, MN.

Ray, like his brothers, had respiratory problems with asthma and bronchitis and could not stand the Minnesota cold winters. In 1983 Ray and Lola took up residence in Apache Junction, AZ for the winter months. This lasted for about 10 years. During their stay in Arizona, Ray took up golf using only his left hand.

Mr. Boyer was an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Bemidji Council 1544 of the Knights of Columbus. He was a Past Grand Knight of the Council. At one time, he was also a member of the Bemidji Lions Club and the Bemidji Elks.

Ray was preceded in death by a son, James, and a daughter-in-law, Diane Boyer, his parents and all 10 of his siblings. He is survived by his wife, Lola; sons, Jack, Chuck, Ray Jr. and Bill; daughters, Ruth Schuet, Mary Ann Steward, Patricia Fuerstenberg, Susan Boyer, Alice Wegler, Margaret Carlson, Kathy Bushaw, Diana Anderson and Carol Grones; also survived by 100 grandchildren, great-grandchildren & great-great-grandchildren.

All of the five sons and nine daughters graduated from Bemidji High School and six of the children completed college.

Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11:00 AM Monday, March 18, 2002, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 9100 93rd Ave N, Osseo, MN. Interment was at St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery following Mass.