Raymond R. Gieser, 91, Dickinson, ND, died Monday, February 19, 2007, at St. Benedict’s Health Center, Dickinson. Raymond’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 9 a.m., Friday, February 23, 2007 at Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Dickinson, with Fr. Jeff Zwack as the celebrant. Interment will follow at St. Wenceslaus Cemetery, Dickinson. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson. There will be a rosary and vigil at 7:30 p.m., Thursday with Deacon Ron Wolberg presiding at Ladbury Funeral Service.
Ray was born on December 21, 1915, to Sebastian and Caroline (Lanz) Gieser on his father’s homestead near Gladstone, ND, where he grew up and spent most of his life as a farmer and rancher. He attended rural grade school and Assumption Abbey High School in Richardton, ND.
In 1937-1938, he worked a one-year term with the CCC’s at the Sequoia National Park in California. In the fall of 1938, he joined the local National Guard. He received a medical discharge in February, 1941, after a farm accident in which he broke his leg.
Ray married Zita Dauenhauer on June 1, 1943, at St. Phillip’s Catholic Church in Hirschville, ND. They raised 7 children: 4 girls and 3 boys.
The Gieser children had the good fortune that their Dad drove the school bus. Ray drove the bus to Gladstone and later to Dickinson, over a span of 25 to 30 years. He plowed snow from the roads as needed to be sure that the children would get to school.
As a farmer and rancher, Ray raised Aberdeen Angus cattle, hogs, grain, and hay. He practiced innovative farming methods such as water spreading with dikes, contour farming, conserving snow, and raising specialty crops such as Sudan grass and safflower.
Ray served as a director of the Gladstone Farmers Union Elevator for 17 years, member of the Wildrose School Board, director of the Gladstone Fire Prevention District, and Inspector of the Coon voting precinct. He was a member of the Gladstone Knights of Columbus.
Ray and Zita retired from farming in October, 1981 and moved to Dickinson. During his retirement Ray volunteered at the House of Manna, and was active in Germans from Russia.
Ray loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren, and to drive and maintain his school bus. He also enjoyed reading, hunting, reloading, taxidermy, gunsmithing, and fishing.
Ray suffered a massive stroke on October 12, 2002, while in Montana to go hunting. He spent the rest of his life at St. Benedict’s Health Center, where his gentleness and good humor were treasured by his caregivers and visitors, especially his children and grandchildren.
Ray is survived by his wife, Zita; six children, Agnes Kemp, Libby, MT, Edith (Harlan) Muth, Marion, IA, Raymond, Portland, OR, Bernard (Sherry Jacobs), Park City, MT, Lauren (Vera Reisenauer), Sidney, NE, Carolyn Stewart, Dickinson; 17 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and one son-in-law, Bob Frisbee, Oregon.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents Sebastian and Caroline Gieser, his twin, Monica, his sisters, Catherine Hassing, Rose, and Otillia; his brothers, Frank, Anton, and Adam; one daughter, Rose Marie Frisbee; and two sons-in-law, Bill Kemp and Jim Stewart.
