Raymond John “Razor” Koenigs was born on January 22, 1924, to John and Josie (Gaul) Koenigs in Mapleton, Iowa. He attended St. Mary’s Elementary School in Mapleton and graduated from Mapleton High School in 1942 where he was class president for three of the four years.
Ray enlisted in the United States Navy upon graduation and in 1943 he joined the Army Air Force. He went overseas in October of 1944 to act as an aerial gunner on a B-17. They flew 26 missions over Europe but were shot down on February 7, 1945. They arrived back at their base in Foggia, Italy on March 14 of the same year. He flew thirteen more missions after returning to base. In June of 1945 he returned to the United States and was honorably discharged at Lincoln, Nebraska in October of 1945.
Ray enrolled at the University of South Dakota, in Vermillion, in January of 1946. He married Lorraine Marian Anker on September 1, 1948, and graduated with a BFA in Commercial Art and Advertising in June of 1949. He was employed at Broadcaster Press in Vermillion, and was active in the local chapter of the Jaycees. In 1956 they moved to Des Moines, Iowa where he worked at Cary-Hill Advertising Agency as Production Manager and later as Account Executive. Late in 1957, Ray accepted a job as Advertising Manager at Rolscreen Company (now known as Pella Corp.) in Pella, Iowa, a position he held until his retirement in 1986. On October 24 of 1965, a baby girl, Laurie Anne, was born to Ray and Lorraine. They celebrated her third birthday at the new house they had built on Boone Street—a place where they made lifelong friends. The wooded area was a great source of feathered friends for Ray to feed, as well as countless other forms of wildlife.
Ray will likely be best remembered for his keen sense of humor. He had a wide variety of interests and he was a curious, hands-on kind of guy. He always enjoyed home improvement projects and general maintenance of his property. If anything was broken, you can be sure Ray would try to fix it. He was a talented artist whose hobbies included painting and sketching. He was a self-taught musician, and enjoyed singing harmonies with his friends, playing guitar, and he even tried his hand at playing the banjo and keyboards, although he couldn’t read music. Ray’s love of aviation and automobiles was apparent throughout his life. One of his favorite museums was the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. He enjoyed traveling both internationally and stateside. Hawaii was one of his favorite destinations. He and Lorraine took many wonderful vacations together—from cruises to Elderhostel trips and visiting “snowbird” friends during the colder months.
While living in Pella, Ray was a member of the Pella Historical Society, Second Reformed Church, and the Pella Golf and Country Club. He participated in Pella’s Tulip Time festival most years by working the gate at the historical village, and when he retired he spent many days manning the information booth at the windmill on the square.
On Sunday morning, August 22, 2010, he passed away following a brief illness at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella at the age of 86 years.
Ray will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Lorraine, their daughter, Laurie (Jon) Richter of Berwyn, Illinois, a sister-in-law, Bette (Pirk) Koenigs and countless nieces, nephews and friends.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters: Mary Kee, Loretta Otto, Katherine “Kitty” Dahms, Clara Conyers, and Rose Urquhart, and his brothers: Leonard Koenigs, and Paul “Pirk” Koenigs.
Ray enlisted in the United States Navy upon graduation and in 1943 he joined the Army Air Force. He went overseas in October of 1944 to act as an aerial gunner on a B-17. They flew 26 missions over Europe but were shot down on February 7, 1945. They arrived back at their base in Foggia, Italy on March 14 of the same year. He flew thirteen more missions after returning to base. In June of 1945 he returned to the United States and was honorably discharged at Lincoln, Nebraska in October of 1945.
Ray enrolled at the University of South Dakota, in Vermillion, in January of 1946. He married Lorraine Marian Anker on September 1, 1948, and graduated with a BFA in Commercial Art and Advertising in June of 1949. He was employed at Broadcaster Press in Vermillion, and was active in the local chapter of the Jaycees. In 1956 they moved to Des Moines, Iowa where he worked at Cary-Hill Advertising Agency as Production Manager and later as Account Executive. Late in 1957, Ray accepted a job as Advertising Manager at Rolscreen Company (now known as Pella Corp.) in Pella, Iowa, a position he held until his retirement in 1986. On October 24 of 1965, a baby girl, Laurie Anne, was born to Ray and Lorraine. They celebrated her third birthday at the new house they had built on Boone Street—a place where they made lifelong friends. The wooded area was a great source of feathered friends for Ray to feed, as well as countless other forms of wildlife.
Ray will likely be best remembered for his keen sense of humor. He had a wide variety of interests and he was a curious, hands-on kind of guy. He always enjoyed home improvement projects and general maintenance of his property. If anything was broken, you can be sure Ray would try to fix it. He was a talented artist whose hobbies included painting and sketching. He was a self-taught musician, and enjoyed singing harmonies with his friends, playing guitar, and he even tried his hand at playing the banjo and keyboards, although he couldn’t read music. Ray’s love of aviation and automobiles was apparent throughout his life. One of his favorite museums was the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. He enjoyed traveling both internationally and stateside. Hawaii was one of his favorite destinations. He and Lorraine took many wonderful vacations together—from cruises to Elderhostel trips and visiting “snowbird” friends during the colder months.
While living in Pella, Ray was a member of the Pella Historical Society, Second Reformed Church, and the Pella Golf and Country Club. He participated in Pella’s Tulip Time festival most years by working the gate at the historical village, and when he retired he spent many days manning the information booth at the windmill on the square.
On Sunday morning, August 22, 2010, he passed away following a brief illness at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella at the age of 86 years.
Ray will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Lorraine, their daughter, Laurie (Jon) Richter of Berwyn, Illinois, a sister-in-law, Bette (Pirk) Koenigs and countless nieces, nephews and friends.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters: Mary Kee, Loretta Otto, Katherine “Kitty” Dahms, Clara Conyers, and Rose Urquhart, and his brothers: Leonard Koenigs, and Paul “Pirk” Koenigs.
Raymond John “Razor” Koenigs was born on January 22, 1924, to John and Josie (Gaul) Koenigs in Mapleton, Iowa. He attended St. Mary’s Elementary School in Mapleton and graduated from Mapleton High School in 1942 where he was class president for three of the four years.
Ray enlisted in the United States Navy upon graduation and in 1943 he joined the Army Air Force. He went overseas in October of 1944 to act as an aerial gunner on a B-17. They flew 26 missions over Europe but were shot down on February 7, 1945. They arrived back at their base in Foggia, Italy on March 14 of the same year. He flew thirteen more missions after returning to base. In June of 1945 he returned to the United States and was honorably discharged at Lincoln, Nebraska in October of 1945.
Ray enrolled at the University of South Dakota, in Vermillion, in January of 1946. He married Lorraine Marian Anker on September 1, 1948, and graduated with a BFA in Commercial Art and Advertising in June of 1949. He was employed at Broadcaster Press in Vermillion, and was active in the local chapter of the Jaycees. In 1956 they moved to Des Moines, Iowa where he worked at Cary-Hill Advertising Agency as Production Manager and later as Account Executive. Late in 1957, Ray accepted a job as Advertising Manager at Rolscreen Company (now known as Pella Corp.) in Pella, Iowa, a position he held until his retirement in 1986. On October 24 of 1965, a baby girl, Laurie Anne, was born to Ray and Lorraine. They celebrated her third birthday at the new house they had built on Boone Street—a place where they made lifelong friends. The wooded area was a great source of feathered friends for Ray to feed, as well as countless other forms of wildlife.
Ray will likely be best remembered for his keen sense of humor. He had a wide variety of interests and he was a curious, hands-on kind of guy. He always enjoyed home improvement projects and general maintenance of his property. If anything was broken, you can be sure Ray would try to fix it. He was a talented artist whose hobbies included painting and sketching. He was a self-taught musician, and enjoyed singing harmonies with his friends, playing guitar, and he even tried his hand at playing the banjo and keyboards, although he couldn’t read music. Ray’s love of aviation and automobiles was apparent throughout his life. One of his favorite museums was the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. He enjoyed traveling both internationally and stateside. Hawaii was one of his favorite destinations. He and Lorraine took many wonderful vacations together—from cruises to Elderhostel trips and visiting “snowbird” friends during the colder months.
While living in Pella, Ray was a member of the Pella Historical Society, Second Reformed Church, and the Pella Golf and Country Club. He participated in Pella’s Tulip Time festival most years by working the gate at the historical village, and when he retired he spent many days manning the information booth at the windmill on the square.
On Sunday morning, August 22, 2010, he passed away following a brief illness at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella at the age of 86 years.
Ray will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Lorraine, their daughter, Laurie (Jon) Richter of Berwyn, Illinois, a sister-in-law, Bette (Pirk) Koenigs and countless nieces, nephews and friends.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters: Mary Kee, Loretta Otto, Katherine “Kitty” Dahms, Clara Conyers, and Rose Urquhart, and his brothers: Leonard Koenigs, and Paul “Pirk” Koenigs.
Ray enlisted in the United States Navy upon graduation and in 1943 he joined the Army Air Force. He went overseas in October of 1944 to act as an aerial gunner on a B-17. They flew 26 missions over Europe but were shot down on February 7, 1945. They arrived back at their base in Foggia, Italy on March 14 of the same year. He flew thirteen more missions after returning to base. In June of 1945 he returned to the United States and was honorably discharged at Lincoln, Nebraska in October of 1945.
Ray enrolled at the University of South Dakota, in Vermillion, in January of 1946. He married Lorraine Marian Anker on September 1, 1948, and graduated with a BFA in Commercial Art and Advertising in June of 1949. He was employed at Broadcaster Press in Vermillion, and was active in the local chapter of the Jaycees. In 1956 they moved to Des Moines, Iowa where he worked at Cary-Hill Advertising Agency as Production Manager and later as Account Executive. Late in 1957, Ray accepted a job as Advertising Manager at Rolscreen Company (now known as Pella Corp.) in Pella, Iowa, a position he held until his retirement in 1986. On October 24 of 1965, a baby girl, Laurie Anne, was born to Ray and Lorraine. They celebrated her third birthday at the new house they had built on Boone Street—a place where they made lifelong friends. The wooded area was a great source of feathered friends for Ray to feed, as well as countless other forms of wildlife.
Ray will likely be best remembered for his keen sense of humor. He had a wide variety of interests and he was a curious, hands-on kind of guy. He always enjoyed home improvement projects and general maintenance of his property. If anything was broken, you can be sure Ray would try to fix it. He was a talented artist whose hobbies included painting and sketching. He was a self-taught musician, and enjoyed singing harmonies with his friends, playing guitar, and he even tried his hand at playing the banjo and keyboards, although he couldn’t read music. Ray’s love of aviation and automobiles was apparent throughout his life. One of his favorite museums was the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. He enjoyed traveling both internationally and stateside. Hawaii was one of his favorite destinations. He and Lorraine took many wonderful vacations together—from cruises to Elderhostel trips and visiting “snowbird” friends during the colder months.
While living in Pella, Ray was a member of the Pella Historical Society, Second Reformed Church, and the Pella Golf and Country Club. He participated in Pella’s Tulip Time festival most years by working the gate at the historical village, and when he retired he spent many days manning the information booth at the windmill on the square.
On Sunday morning, August 22, 2010, he passed away following a brief illness at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella at the age of 86 years.
Ray will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Lorraine, their daughter, Laurie (Jon) Richter of Berwyn, Illinois, a sister-in-law, Bette (Pirk) Koenigs and countless nieces, nephews and friends.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters: Mary Kee, Loretta Otto, Katherine “Kitty” Dahms, Clara Conyers, and Rose Urquhart, and his brothers: Leonard Koenigs, and Paul “Pirk” Koenigs.
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