Raymond P. Schwan

Raymond P. “Ray” Schwan, 72 of Webster, ND died on Monday, September 20, 2010 at Sanford Health of Fargo, ND. Mass of Christian Burial for Ray will be held on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 10:30 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake. Fr. Dale Kinzler will celebrate the Mass and burial will be in St. Benedict’s Catholic Cemetery, rural Crary, ND. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Friday from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. The Rosary will be led by the Knights of Columbus. Visitation on Saturday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral Mass. Serving as Casket Bearers for Ray will be Tom Maloney, Rod Thoreson, Glen Regan, Jack Kitsch, Lee LaBarre, Ray Erickson, Gilmore Braaten, Roger Perkuhn, Adam Freidig and Doug Becker. Music will be provided by JoDee Lagein and Lynne Webster. Raymond P. Schwan, the loving son of Peter and Johanna (Axtman) Schwan was born on August 15, 1938 at Devils Lake, ND. He was reared and educated in the Webster area, was active in 4-H and graduated from St. Mary’s High School with the class of 1957. He attended the Agricultural School in Fargo and then returned to the Webster area where he would live and farm his entire life. Ray was united in marriage to Phyllis Lee Duerr on November 3, 1989 at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, rural Crary and they established their home on the farm at Webster. Ray was a member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church until it closed and at present was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Devils Lake Elks Lodge. There were four passions in Ray’s life; his faith, his family, farming and fishing. Ray loved the land and farmed his entire life. He was a year around fisherman too, be it in the water or through ice. He loved his family and so treasured their time together at the farm or fishing or just visiting around the neighborhood with family and friends. Ray is survived by his wife, Phyllis; children Dave Duerr of Anchorage, Alaska, Deb (Danny) Nelson of Devils Lake, Deanna (Dave) Schwanke of Leeds, ND; grandchildren Derek Duerr and Alissa Duerr; Jason Duerr; Devin Schwanke, Danielle Schwanke, Desidy Schwanke and Delaynee Schwanke; his sisters Elsie Kennedy of Mansfield, Texas, Veronica and her husband Dale Thoreson of Grand Forks, ND and Donna and her husband George Fletcher of Castle Rock, Colorado; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins also survive. Ray was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Martin Schwan. Memorials may be directed to the Knights of Columbus Scholarship Fund.