Raymond Hochmuth, of Niles

Published 9:29 am Thursday, April 6, 2017

April 11, 1928 — April 1, 2017

Surrounded by loving family, caring friends and compassionate hospice staff, Raymond Richard Hochmuth passed away Saturday, April 1, 2017, at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo, just shy of his 89th birthday.
A very special, kind and hard-working family man, Ray is survived by his wife of almost 67 years, Evelyn “Betty” (née Lindstaedt) and their five children, Susan (Josh) Aberman, Mark (Dorothy) Hochmuth, Lori (Dan) Monroe, Karen (Tom) Mulrenin and Richard Hochmuth, as well as 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, with a sixth on the way.
He was born April 11, 1928, in Staunton, Illinois, to Richard and Fairy Hochmuth. He grew up in Niles with his brothers, Kenny and Harold, and graduated from high school there as a star on the track team.
He went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force as a control tower operator, then worked in his father’s dairy in Niles. He later moved his family to Benton Harbor, where he worked as an insurance agent for many years before moving to Paw Paw and working at Old Kent Bank in Kalamazoo, from where he retired.
He was a member of New Apostolic Church, serving as a minister for many years. He delighted in helping others and they found joy in spending time with him. He loved telling stories about his experiences, working in the yard, all-day family picnics at the beach and swimming. In later years, he became an avid competitive walker. Most of all, he was a loving son, brother, husband, father and grandfather, devoted to his family.
A memorial service will be hosted at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 22, 2017, at New Apostolic Church of Portage, 3600 W. Milham Ave., Portage.