Obituaries » Raymond G. Anderson
Raymond G. Anderson
July 16, 1944 - March 9, 2023
Raymond George Anderson, 78, of Ankeny, IA, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Thursday, March 9, 2023.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at St. Paul Lutheran Church (1100 SE Sharon Dr., Ankeny, IA). A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, also at the church. Burial will follow the service at Ankeny Memorial Gardens. The funeral service will be live streamed at http://www.stpaulankeny.org/
Ray was born on July 16, 1944, in Tacoma, Washington. After moving to Iowa as a child, he moved back to Washington to attend and graduate high school in Tacoma in1963. He was drafted and served his country proudly during Vietnam, stationed in Korea. He returned to Ankeny where he worked as an electrician in Des Moines. Ray then met Eileen and fell in love. They were married April 14, 1973, in Ankeny, IA, and were blessed with two boys, Jeff and Brian. He retired in 2010 after 31 years with the Ankeny Community Schools in maintenance.
Ray is survived by his wife, Eileen (Swan); sons, Jeff (Brenda), Brian (Lisa); four granddaughters that he loved so very much, Mackenzie, Marissa, Brynn, Kaelen; sister, Beverly Mitchell; twin brother, Richard (Marilyn) Anderson; brother-in-law, David (Genie) Swan; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Lorena (Fischer) Anderson; sisters, Alice (George) Rosenoff, Carolyn (Jim) Riley, and Mary Meador; and parents-in-law, Harold and Lucille Swan.
First and foremost, Ray was dedicated to his family with love and support. He loved attending, supporting, and watching his granddaughters’ events as they were growing up. Ray enjoyed playing cards, watching the Chicago Cubs, and inventing new things. His most famous patent was the Crayola Scented Crayons. He also has other international and American patents.
At the end of the day he loved his family and friends so hard that he wore out his heart.
Memorials may be directed the family for a future designation.