Raver, Paul Thomas

CEDAR RAPIDS - Paul Thomas Raver, 60, of Cedar Rapids, ended his 15-month struggle with brain cancer at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010. Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Matthew Catholic Church, by the Rev. David Beckman. Burial: Oak Hill Cemetery, Glendale, Ohio. A visitation will be held on Friday at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 4 to 8 p.m. and after 9 a.m. Saturday at the church.

Survivors include his wife, Carole; sons, Andrew Raver and wife Tory of Iowa City, Brian Raver and friend Karen of Richfield, Minn., and Jeffrey Raver and wife Cathy of Fort Stewart, Ga.; mother, Shirley Raver of Kokomo, Ind.; sisters, Barbara Maners of Carmel, Ind., Rita (Greg) Sale of Kokomo, Ind., and Beth (Jeff) Sikkema of Metamora, Ill.; brother, Mark (Brenda) Raver of Tipton, Ind.; and mother-in-law, Ailene Bell of West Chester, Ohio.

He was preceded in death by his father, Paul J. Raver; and father-in-law, William Bell III.

Paul was born July 6, 1950, in Batesville, Ind., to Paul and Shirley Schultz Raver. He graduated with a B.S. degree from Purdue University in 1973. Paul was united in marriage to Carole Bell on Jan. 29, 1972, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the purchasing manager for Genencor International Inc. Paul was a member of St. Matthew Catholic Church. He loved coaching his sons. He enjoyed traveling and was an avid sports fan, especially the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals and the Purdue Boilermakers.

Paul will be remembered as an excellent husband and father.

 Paul's family would like to thank all of his caregivers, especially St. Luke's Hospice, Hospice House of Mercy and Donna. They also thank Paul's co-workers and friends at Genencor for their help throughout his struggle.

 In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Brain Tumor Association and Hospice House of Mercy.

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