Raymond Blakeman

RAYMOND BLAKEMAN

Denver, N.C.

Raymond Blakeman, 94, of Denver, N.C., and formerly of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Community Building in Pleasant Plains, Ill., at 2 p.m. on Oct. 6, 2018.

He is survived by his wife, Renate Blakeman; children, June Blakeman Anderson, Richard Blakeman, Sharon Ayers Blakeman and Kirsten Blakeman Albrecht; brother, John Blakeman; and sister, Elizabeth Blakeman Burmeister.

Ray was born on Dec. 3, 1923, and grew up in Pleasant Plains, Ill. He went into the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, where he served as a bomber pilot. After his service, he had a long and distinguished career in the machine tool industry in the Midwest with Allis Chalmers and Illinois Tool Works, where he rose to become senior vice president.

In 1977, Ray moved to Cedar Rapids to become president of Iowa Precision, later to become CEO of Met-Coil Systems, the parent company of Iowa Precision. He was highly recognized in the machine tool industy, including as chairman of the Association for Manufacturing Technology. He retired from Met-Coil at the age of 81 and moved to the Charlotte, N.C., area, where he lived until passing.

Ray lived a very active lifestyle, always on or near water an avid boater, hunter, fisherman and pilot. He leaves behind many treasured friends in Iowa.

Please make any donations to Welcome Home Veterans Inc., 165 Main St., Mooresville, NC 28115.