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Kray, Willis 'Bill'
Willis “Bill” Kray, 79, died Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, at his home surrounded by his family, following an extended illness. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Anamosa, with interment in Norwich Cemetery, Martelle. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Anamosa.
Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at .
Surviving is his wife, Ruth; two children, Judy (Kevin) Monk and Randy (Chris) Kray, both of Lisbon; extended family, Kelly (Glenice) Heskett, Anamosa; four grandchildren, Misty (Craig) Farr and Brad Monk, both of Anamosa, and Michal Kray and Marshall Kray, both of Lisbon; two extended grandchildren, Bill Heskett and Brandon Heskett, both of Anamosa; and three sisters, Dorothy (James) Stadtmueller, Monticello and Leona Osterkamp and Marietta Gartland, both of Anamosa.
He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Edwin, Donald, Leonard and Kenneth; and two sisters, Henrietta Morning and Wilma Lurkens.
Willis Lavern Kray was born March 12, 1934, at Anamosa, Iowa. He was the son of Henry and Emma Weers Kray. He received his education in the Cass Center School. Bill worked at the Allis Chalmers Factory in Cedar Rapids. He married Ruth Christiansen on Aug. 16, 1953, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Anamosa. For most of his working career, Bill worked in the road maintenance department in Jones County. He worked in Cass Township, Olin and Cascade and finished his career in Fairview Township. At home, he loved to operated his skid loader, work with metal and was the neighborhood blacksmith, he was also the caretaker for Russ Cook's calves.
For fun, he hunted mushrooms and deer, liked to go fishing, play golf at Hillcrest in Mount Vernon and in Mission Texas, where they wintered. He also enjoyed dirt track racing at Farley, West Liberty and Dubuque and watching the Cubs. He will be greatly missed by all his family and many friends.
The family would like to thank Above and Beyond Hospice especially Kay Clark for the wonderful care during Bill's illness.
Published in The Gazette Dec. 16, 2013.
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