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Beer, Raymond A.
Raymond A. Beer, 86, of Cedar Rapids, died Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha. Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at St. Jude's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids by Father Mark Reasoner. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids, where a vigil service will begin at 7 p.m. Graveside services: 3 p.m. Saturday at St. Benedict Cemetery, Decorah.
Survivors include his wife, June; five children, Dennis (Cindy), Duane, David (Karen), all of Cedar Rapids, Daniel (Kathy) of Center Point and Dawn (James) LeFever of Cedar Rapids; 12 grandchildren, Amy, Mark, Scott, Andrew, Matthew, Austin, Colby, Benjamin, Cody, Amber, Katie and Courtney; special friend, Jessica; and one great-granddaughter, Savannah. Also surviving are two brothers, Gerald (Pat) Beer and Robert Marvin (Jean) Beer, both of Cedar Rapids.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Arleen Collins; and an infant grandson, Teddy.
Raymond was born June 18, 1925, the son of Raymond and Rose (Herold) Beer in Spillville, Iowa. On Sept. 19, 1951, he married June Helgeson in a country church near Waukon.
His life started as a farmer, and this was his first love, until moving to Cedar Rapids and taking a job with Universal Engineering. He retired after 30 years.
Ray was an active member of St. Jude's Church. He saw the new church built, raised his family in the faith, and sent his kids through the Catholic school system.
Ray was an avid collector of most anything related to farming and baseball.
He spend a lot of his spare time passing on his wisdom to his children, playing with his grandchildren, working on his house, cutting wood to keep his family warm, hunting, and watching baseball. He played baseball through his school years, continuing his love for the game as he cheered on his children and grandchildren. Go Cubs.
A special thanks to the staff at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy.
Please sign the online guest book for Raymond at under obituaries.
Published Dec. 9, 2011, in The Gazette
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