Ray, as he is better known, was born in Minneapolis, MN on Nov. 17th, 1942 to Raymond H. and Phyllis (Boyer) Mortensen. In 1955 Ray’s parents bought a farm a couple miles west of Santiago, MN where they raised everything from horses and cattle to geese and chickens. 

Ray, Sr. continued to work in the Twin Cities and came home only on Wednesday evenings and weekends so Ray, Jr. knew the value of hard work by the time he became an adult. He loved life in the country, even imitating, or trying at least, the riding stunts he saw on the westerns he loved.

He attended St Cloud State University and in 1961 bought a vacant farm just west of his parents’. On Apr. 23rd, 1962, he married Dianna (Forsyth). The couple roughed it that first summer while Ray added electricity and plumbing to the old farmhouse, all the while continuing to work in construction in the Twin Cities. He eventually became a master electrician owning his own successful business for over 40 years, not retiring completely until only a few years ago.

His outgoing personality and gift of gab served him well when, in 1969 on his 27th birthday, Ray asked Jesus Christ to be his Lord and Savior and for the next 56 years shared the gospel with any and all who wanted to listen. He genuinely cared for even the complete stranger and loved Bible studies, playing basketball, volleyball, hockey, hunting, sporting clays, cards, the farm animals, reading, (still) watching westerns and documentaries and, most of all, time with his family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother and sister-in-law Richard and Barb Mortensen and brother-in-law David Balder. He is survived by his wife of 63 years Dianna and children Shawn, Kelly, Kerry, Tom and Matt, his sister Bonnie (Balder), brothers Mark (Lynn), Chris (Debbie) along with nine grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Gathering is being planned for Dec. 6 at 11:00 a.m. at Jack & Jim’s Event Center in Duelm, MN.  Service with Dignity provided by the Foley Funeral Home.

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