Raymond J. Hufnagel Sr., 95, died Tuesday, June 3, 2008, at Genesis Health Care Center in Gettysburg. He was the husband of Mary Gertrude (Lawrence) Hufnagel, who died January 28, 2005, for more than 70 years. Born January 5, 1913, on the family farm in Brushtown, he was the son of the late Peter and Catherine (Hufnagle) Hufnagel. Ray attended elementary school in Brushtown, in the one room school house, before transferring to St. Mary's in McSherrystown. He started work at the Hanover Cabinet Company, and then took a position with Montgomery Ward. In the 1940's Ray started his own business, Hufnagel's Plumbing, Heating and Electrical Co. in Brushtown. His business included a retail appliance store on Hanover St. His contracting business focused on the installation of plumbing, heating and electrical appliances in older homes and farms which had not been built with those modern conveniences. In 1954, Ray sold his business and took his wife and two sons to Tucson, Ariz. For 10 years Ray worked as a salesman for the Arizona Hardware Wholesale Supply Co. He then became the manager of a winter resort in Tucson known as "Christopher Square Inn" where he worked until the time of his retirement in 1972. He and his wife then became "snowbirds", spending the winter months at their home in Jerome, Ariz. and returning to their roots in Pennsylvania during the summer. Ray continued daily activities at the farm until he was 91 years old, at which time he and his wife moved to Martin's Personal Care Home outside Littlestown. Following Mary's death, Ray remained in Littlestown until late November, 2007 at which time he moved to the Whispering Pines Home in York Springs, where he lived until March 2008. He then moved into the Genesis Health Care Center in Gettysburg where he lived until the time of his death. Ray was a member of Sacred Heart Basilica, Hanover. Surviving are one son, Wayne P. Hufnagel and wife Rosalie A. of Springfield, Va.; a daughter-in-law, Audrey Hufnagel of California; four grandchildren, Raymond J. Hufnagel III, Captain W. Patrick Hufnagel II, Peter E. Hufnagel and Maria Hufnagel; two great-grandchildren, Raymond J. Hufnagel IV and Davis M. Hufnagel. He was preceded in death by a son, Colonel Raymond J. Hufnagel Jr. and 10 brothers and sisters, Mary (Mrs. Basil Hockensmith), Annie (Mrs. John Smith), Rev. Peter C. Hufnagel, Emily (Mrs. Edward Smith), Elizabeth (Mrs. Clarence Sneeringer), Catharine (Mrs. Leroy Smith), Helen (Mrs. Paul Hilterbrick), Gertrude Hufnagel, Benjamin Hufnagel and Estella (Mrs. Leo Lawrence). A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m. Thursday, at Sacred Heart Basilica in Edgegrove, with the Rev. Lawrence J. McNeil officiating. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Edgegrove. Friends and relatives will be received Wednesday 6 to 8 p.m. at Murphy Funeral Home, 501 Ridge Ave., McSherrystown, with the rosary recited at 8 p.m. Serving as pallbearers will be Patrick Hufnagel, Peter Hufnagel, Don Becker, Dwayne Lawrence, Maria Hufnagel, Don McKewen and Raymond J. Hufnagel III (in absentia).
Published in the Evening Sun from 6/4/2008 - 6/5/2008.