63957_Raymond N._Burras

Raymond N. Burras
August 3, 1925 – January 1, 2014

Raymond Burras, 88, of Kanawha, passed away Wednesday, January 1, 2014 at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion.

Funeral services for Raymond Burras will be held on Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 10:30 AM at St. Olaf Lutheran Church west of Belmond with Pastor James Harbaugh, Jr. officiating. Burial will be at Norway Township Cemetery with military graveside honors presented by the Kanawha American Legion Post.

Visitation will be held Friday, January 3, 2014 from 5:00-7:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Home, 1801 Central Avenue East in Clarion, and will continue one hour prior to the services at the church on Saturday.

Raymond Norville Burras was born August 3, 1925 to Carl and Berthilda (Anderson) Burras on the family farm south of Kanawha. Raymond attended country schools in Norway Township.

At age 17, Ray enlisted in the United States Navy and served on the U.S.S. Robinson, a destroyer. Ray attended an annual reunion held each year in various places around the country. Ray also took part in an Honor Flight trip in 2009, and was an active member of the Kanawha American Legion Post for many years.

Upon his return from his military service, Ray returned to his lifelong passion of farming. Ray retired from farming in 1998, though he continued to restore antique tractors and attend tractor rides for many years.

Ray was a very active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church south of Kanawha, and has continued in that role as a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church since joining that congregation.

Ray is survived by his granddaughter, Jodie (Phillip) Lee of Windsor Heights and their triplet children Hannah, Bennett and Alyssa; daughter-in-law Joy Johnson of Cedar Falls and her children Nick (Cali) Sorbe and Adam Sorbe of Cedar Falls; sisters Cora Spangler of Eagle Grove, Verna Headrick of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Opal Neese of Creston; brother Roger (Dorothy) Burras of Clarion; along with numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Margie in 2011, his son Cal Johnson in 2012, sister Arlene Burras, and brothers Stanley Burras, Irving Burras, and Carroll Burras.

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