Raymond Evenson

VERTIN-MUNSON FUNERAL HOME
WAHPETON, NORTH DAKOTA

Raymond Evenson, 89, rural Wahpeton, ND died Friday, April 6, 2012 at St. Francis Hospital, Breckenridge, MN.
The funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 12 at Faith Lutheran Church, Dwight, ND with the Rev. Gordon Lee officiating.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11 at Willow Creek Chapel, Wahpeton, ND, and one hour before the service at the church on Thursday. Burial will be at the church cemetery in Dwight.
Raymond E. Evenson was born on July 2, 1922 on the Evenson farm in Dwight Township, the fourth child of Edwin Anton Evenson and Dora (Gilbertson) Evenson. He attended elementary school in Dwight, ND, graduated from Wahpeton High School, and attended North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton.
In 1950 Raymond married Coretta Meslow at Viking Lutheran Church, rural Walcott, ND, and they began their married life on the farm near Dwight. They had three children: a son, Robert, and two daughters, Laurel (Nelson) and Diana (Fischer). Ray was a farmer. He began farming at a young age with his dad and brother, and later his son, faithfully planting, tilling and harvesting the land well into his 80's. In 2011 the Evenson farm was recognized as a North Dakota Centennial Farm. This was a great source of significance and joy to Ray because he had seen the transformation of farming from using a team of horses to large four wheel drive equipment. His last years were spent in a John Deere air conditioned tractor which he enjoyed to the utmost. He had seen the farm survive the Dirty Thirties, the Great Depression, WWII, and numerous farm programs. Ray, like the farm was a steady survivor, never fearful of change and never afraid to sacrifice. He was a part of the "Greatest Generation".
Besides farming, Ray drove school bus for 15 years in the Wahpeton School District. He served on numerous community and church boards. He was a lifelong member of Faith Lutheran Church in Dwight, serving on church council and the cemetery board. He served on the Dwight School Board, and was supervisor and chairman of the Dwight Township Board for over 50 years, one of the longest serving township officers in the state of ND. He was instrumental in assisting the MinnDak Farmers' Cooperative Sugar Plant and the Pro Gold Corn Plant locate in Dwight Township.
Ray was committed to his wife, Coretta, and his children. He was a steady, stable, and loving husband and father, and a helpful caregiver to older family members and friends. It gave him joy to know that his children had graduated from college and that his grandchildren were also becoming college graduates. He was fond of watching old westerns on television and keeping abreast of all weather forecasts in the area. Ray had a good sense of humor with his own unique and amusing jargon. He enjoyed "talking farming" with any interested party, frequently reminiscing about the old days of farming when livestock was plentiful on the home place. It brought him special joy to farm alongside his son, Robert. Farming and watching the crops grow made for a good day in his life.
He lived on the farm from birth until June of 2011 at which time he entered the St. Francis Healthcare Center. His family greatly desired that his life could have begun and ended on his beloved farm, but that was not meant to be. Although his body progressively failed him, his spirit remained strong until the end. He was a stoic Norwegian farmer of pioneer spirit and strength. He will be deeply missed.
He is survived by his son, Robert (Debra) Evenson, rural Wahpeton; his two daughters: Laurel (Brent) Nelson, Fergus Falls, MN, and Diana (Jeff) Fischer, Scandia, MN; seven grandchildren: Melissa Evenson, Tallahassee, FL, Lindsey (Bill) Wrigley, Minneapolis, MN, Erin (Brian) Meadows , Minneapolis, MN, Adam Nelson, Denver, CO, Alexander Nelson, Watford City, ND, and Jenna Fischer and Erika Fischer, Scandia, MN; and his sister, E. Margaret Oie, Breckenridge, MN.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Dora Evenson, his wife, Coretta (Meslow) Evenson, his brother Oliver Evenson, and his sister, F. Dorothy (Evenson) Radig.

Blessed be the memory of Raymond Evenson.

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