Raymond L. "Ray" Richtermeier

  Raymond L. “Ray” Richtermeier, 75, of Sioux City passed away at a Sioux City Hospital on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Funeral services to honor his life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at Sunnybrook Community Church. Burial will follow at Lincoln Township Cemetery in rural Hinton. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m., with a time of sharing at 7:00 p.m., on Friday evening at Sunnybrook Community Church. Services are under the direction of Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel. 

  Ray was born on June 20, 1948 to Cletus and Elizabeth (Uhl) Richtermeier at the family’s home in rural Mapleton, Iowa. He grew up in the Mapleton area and attended various schools there. Ray was drafted into the army in 1968. During his time in the army he served as a heavy equipment operator bravely building roads for troop access in Vietnam.

  While a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers, he worked 20 years as a crane operator for Chris Hanson Construction. After leaving Chris Hanson he worked for Woodbury County Secondary Roads as a blade operator. Ray also owned and operated a mowing business in the Sioux City area.  Upon his retirement Ray began working for PCI where he was currently employed.

  Ray married Donna Charles at 4:00 pm on 5-6-78 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sioux City.  Together they raised three children Rachel, Reann, and Ryan. If Ray was ever boastful, it was about his kids. He would never miss an opportunity to talk about his family. The love and pride he had for them was unmatched. Family was everything to him, and they adored him, no matter what time of the day or night he was needed, he would always drop what he was doing and be there for his wife, kids, grandkids, and friends.

  Ray never met a stranger, he was a friend to everyone he met. He had countless friends and acquaintances. He was selfless, kind, hardworking, and had the biggest heart. Always offering to help out in any way, he served many years volunteering as a board member for the Woodbury County Fair. He served as Vice President of the Iowa High School Rodeo Association. You could always find Ray at a barrel race or a high school rodeo helping out and lending a hand wherever it was needed no matter the task. He drove thousands of miles hauling the kids to rodeos, barrel races and team ropings. 

  From a young age he was a great horseman and had a way, and a love, for horses. He raised and trained quarter horses for his family to compete and win on. This was a trait he passed on to all three of his children. He was always there cheering his kids on and helping them to succeed. He loved his visits to Oklahoma where he and his son Ryan would work side by side building fence and working cattle.

  Ray had a passion for antique tractors and had an impressive collection of Massey-Harris and Case tractors. With his pride and joy being his Massey 44-6 that he and his grandson Max, drove each year in the Bronson 4th of July parade. He had a keen ability to get even the roughest old tractor up and running. Ray loved antique tractor hunting. He got the biggest thrill in bringing home the treasures he found without his wife, Donna, knowing about them.

  His passing comes as a great shock and leaves a deep wound, and it is gravely felt by his entire family and countless others who loved him deeply. Survivors include his wife, of 45 years, Donna Richtermeier; children: Rachel Casper (Joe), Reann Jaminet (Cody), and Ryan Richtermeier (Riley); grandchildren: Max Jaminet, Micah Casper, Collins Richtermeier, Conrad Richtermeier, and Case Richtermeier; a sister, Mary Schultz, of Sioux City, brothers, Leo Richtermeier, of Ponca, Nebraska, and Clete Richtermeier, of Sioux City, Iowa.

  He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Arnie Richtermeier; father and mother in-law, Ed and Iona Charles.