Raymond ‘Ray” Andersen Jr., of Dowagiac
Published 9:30 am Tuesday, December 4, 2018
May 22, 1943 — Nov. 30, 2018
Raymond “Ray” Andersen Jr., 75, of Dowagiac, passed away on Friday, Nov. 30, 2018, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo.
A Celebration of Life Service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 7, at Victory Tabernacle, 608 Middle Crossing Rd., corner of Prairie Ronde and Middle Crossing Rd., Dowagiac, with Pastor Stacey Wilder officiating. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Dowagiac.
Raymond “Ray” Andersen Jr.
Friends may visit with the family Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the church. Memorial contributions in Ray’s name may be made to the Cass County Cancer Service. Those wishing to send a condolence online may do so at clarkch.com.
Ray was born May 22, 1943, in Petoskey, Michigan, to Raymond and Edith (Wildfong) Andersen, Sr.
He graduated from Dowagiac Union High School in 1961. Ray proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force as a Jet Aircraft Mechanic from 1962 to 1966.
On Sept. 20, 1969, he married the love of his life, Sue Ann Carpenter in Dowagiac.
Ray worked for R & M Manufacturing in Niles for more than 25 years before retirement. He enjoyed coaching the Dowagiac baseball and football teams. He loved hunting, fishing and racing cars and motorcycles. Ray was a devoted Christian, he attended Victory Tabernacle Church for more than 38 years and served his church as the Superintended. Most of all Ray loved his family and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Ray is survived by his children, Carl Andersen, of Dowagiac, Tony (Rayann) Franco, of Dowagiac, Tammy (Joe Anders) Franco-Rank, of Dowagiac, Tim (Sonya) Andersen, of Crestview, Florida, Terry Andersen, of Dowagiac; 20 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren and siblings Janet (Dennis) Sechowski and Stan Andersen.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Sue Ann Andersen; daughter, Vickie Andersen Caldwell; grandson, Daryn Franco-Rank and siblings Duane Andersen and Sharlene Andersen-Smith.
