Raymond Olafson

Raymond Olafson was born on December 28, 1921, in Minneota, to Peter and Mary (Kiley) Olafson. He grew up in Minneota and graduated from Minneota High School in 1943. Ray served in the U.S. Army from 1944 – 1946 in the European Theater during World War II. After his honorable discharge, he returned to Minneota. On June 24, 1947, he was united in marriage to Katherine Moorse at St. Edward Catholic Church. Ray worked for a time at Gambles before starting Ray’s Refrigeration, a plumbing, heating and refrigeration business. He later began selling insurance; first for Farmer’s Insurance and later for the Catholic Order of Foresters. Ray was proud of his association with the Foresters, in particular the Minneota Youth Group. In 1997, he received the first Fraternalist of the Year award given by the Minnesota Catholic Order of Foresters. Ray was active in his community. He served as Secretary/Treasurer for the Minneota Lions, as Secretary/Treasurer for the Minneota Fire Department, as Financial Secretary for the Minneota Court of Catholic Order of Foresters and he belonged to the U.S. American Legion Post 199 of Minneota. Ray enjoyed traveling, working in his rose garden and visiting with his customers, family and friends. He died on Monday, July 16, 2007, at the Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center in Marshall under the care of Prairie Home Hospice. He is survived by his wife Katherine of Minneota, daughter Marge (Gary) Thostenson of Montevideo and their children Erica (Chris) Krueger and Jeff Thostenson, daughter Joan (Barry) Detloff of Somerset, WI, son David (Margaret) Olafson of Marshall and their son Blaise (Desiree), sister Catherine (Elmer) Schumacher of Elk River, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Bernard and nephew James Schumacher. Memorials preferred to St. Edward Catholic School in Minneota