Obituary for Raymond O. Alvey Sr.
Raymond O. Alvey, Sr., 80,
longtime Mercer, Wis. resident and businessman, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010, at
Flambeau Hospital in Park Falls, Wisc. Ray was born Sept. 8, 1930, in Ironwood,
Michigan, son of the late Frank and Anna (Noren) Alvey. He attended grade school
in Mercer and graduated from Mercer High School in 1948. He enlisted in the U.S.
Navy on Feb. 10, 1949 and was honorably discharged on Feb. 9, 1950. Following his discharge, Ray lived in Texas
for a short time and was employed in the masonry trade. He then returned to
Mercer where he operated a paint contracting business with his brother Ed, and
retired as owner and operator of Mercer Hardware. Ray was one of the original founders of
Northern Highlands State Bank in Mercer and served on the board of directors. He
was also one of the original founders of the Northern Highlands Chapter of Ducks
Unlimited. He was a member of St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church in Mercer, Mercer
Knights of Columbus Council 7228, a member and past treasurer of the Mercer
Lions Club, and a past member of the board of directors of the Mercer Credit
Union. He loved hunting and fishing and was a hunter safety instructor for a
number of years, and thoroughly enjoyed waterfowl woodcarving. He was an avid
Green Bay Packer fan. Ray was a wonderful husband, father,
grandfather, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, and friend to all, and will be
dearly missed. On Nov. 11, 1963, he married the former Lola
Zyduck at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church in Mercer. She preceded him in death
on July 26, 2001. Surviving are a son, Raymond, Jr. (Heather),
Savage, Minn.; two grandchildren, Will and Anna Alvey; two brothers, Ed Alvey ,
Sr., Mercer, and Patrick Alvey, Milwaukee; a sister, Jackie (Emil) Lacek,
Mercer; and numerous nieces, nephews, and
brothers-and-sisters-in-law. Besides his parents and wife, Ray was preceded
in death by a brother, Frank Alvey. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on
Tuesday, Jan. 4, at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church in Mercer, followed by a
Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Lourdu Mandapati,
celebrant. Rite of Committal will be held at the church,
with luncheon to follow in the parish hall. Cremation will take place. Pallbearers will be Emil Lacek, Ed Alvey, Sr.,
Patrick Alvey, Ed Alvey, Jr., Darrell Swearingen and Steve Leitch. To view Ray's obituary online, sign the
guestbook or express condolences, visit
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick
Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood.
longtime Mercer, Wis. resident and businessman, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010, at
Flambeau Hospital in Park Falls, Wisc. Ray was born Sept. 8, 1930, in Ironwood,
Michigan, son of the late Frank and Anna (Noren) Alvey. He attended grade school
in Mercer and graduated from Mercer High School in 1948. He enlisted in the U.S.
Navy on Feb. 10, 1949 and was honorably discharged on Feb. 9, 1950. Following his discharge, Ray lived in Texas
for a short time and was employed in the masonry trade. He then returned to
Mercer where he operated a paint contracting business with his brother Ed, and
retired as owner and operator of Mercer Hardware. Ray was one of the original founders of
Northern Highlands State Bank in Mercer and served on the board of directors. He
was also one of the original founders of the Northern Highlands Chapter of Ducks
Unlimited. He was a member of St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church in Mercer, Mercer
Knights of Columbus Council 7228, a member and past treasurer of the Mercer
Lions Club, and a past member of the board of directors of the Mercer Credit
Union. He loved hunting and fishing and was a hunter safety instructor for a
number of years, and thoroughly enjoyed waterfowl woodcarving. He was an avid
Green Bay Packer fan. Ray was a wonderful husband, father,
grandfather, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, and friend to all, and will be
dearly missed. On Nov. 11, 1963, he married the former Lola
Zyduck at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church in Mercer. She preceded him in death
on July 26, 2001. Surviving are a son, Raymond, Jr. (Heather),
Savage, Minn.; two grandchildren, Will and Anna Alvey; two brothers, Ed Alvey ,
Sr., Mercer, and Patrick Alvey, Milwaukee; a sister, Jackie (Emil) Lacek,
Mercer; and numerous nieces, nephews, and
brothers-and-sisters-in-law. Besides his parents and wife, Ray was preceded
in death by a brother, Frank Alvey. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on
Tuesday, Jan. 4, at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church in Mercer, followed by a
Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Lourdu Mandapati,
celebrant. Rite of Committal will be held at the church,
with luncheon to follow in the parish hall. Cremation will take place. Pallbearers will be Emil Lacek, Ed Alvey, Sr.,
Patrick Alvey, Ed Alvey, Jr., Darrell Swearingen and Steve Leitch. To view Ray's obituary online, sign the
guestbook or express condolences, visit
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick
Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood.