Ray Wehmeyer

MISSOULAâ�,��**– Our beloved dad and good friend to many, Ray Wehmeyer, 90, passed away Dec. 31, 2012, at Lighthouse Assisted Living in Missoula. He was born March 21, 1922, in Winthrop, Wash., the younger of Charlie and Florence Wehmeyer's two children.

Dad grew up on the family ranch in Winthrop participating in baseball, football and basketball in high school and later on the town baseball team. After graduating, Dad volunteered to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II, becoming a senior instructor in enemy aircraft and ship indentification at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center for three years. He was discharged in 1945 at the end of the war.

One night while stationed at Great Lakes, at a servicemen's ball in Milwaukee, Dad asked a young lady to dance. Her name was Sally. They married in 1944 and later moved back to Winthrop, where Mom and Dad bought a home, raised a family of four children and he began his career as head saw filer at the local lumber mill. After brief periods in Yakima, Wash., and Tillamook, Ore., the family made its home in Missoula beginning in 1965. Dad worked as the head filer at White Pine Sash lumber mill until his retirement in 1987.

Our dad was a gentle, quiet, thoughtful man who relished the outdoors, including hunting, fishing, motorcyling, tennis and golf as well as a good book and an evening of pinochle with close friends. Mom and Dad enjoyed square dancing and were charter and active members of Pope John XXIII (Blessed Trinity) Catholic Church. He was always involved in his communities, which included PTA, Toastmasters International, the school board and volunteer fire department (Winthrop), participated in Parish Council for many years and later on volunteered at St. Patrick Hospital for two years.

Dad was a loving and dedicated father and husband, a steadfast, trusting friend and a gentle, kind and intelligent man. He is now reunited with the loved ones who preceded him in death: his beloved wife, Sally; son, Kim; his parents; and sister, Mary. He is survived by three children, Pat (Walter) Jensen of Spokane, Mike (Sue) Wehmeyer of Missoula and Kirk (Marilyn) Wehmeyer of Billings; along with nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by us all.

We would like to extend a special thanks to Larry Plant and his staff at the Lighthouse Assisted Living facility, where Dad received loving care and made many new friends. Another thank you goes out to Hospice of Missoula, which made Dad's last days bearable for him and the family. A very special thank you to Father Frank McCormick for his support as a family friend and priest.

A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the St. Mary Cemetery annex. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you send memorial contributions to Lighthouse Assisted Living, Hospice of Missoula or the charity of your choice.

Read Ray Wehmeyer's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.