RAYMOND BIEM obituary

Raymond C. Biem, 77, of Havre, retired Eddy's Bread salesman, died Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes.

Viewing will be held Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. His funeral service will be Wednesday at Immanuel Baptist Church in Havre. Burial with full military honors will follow at Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately after the graveside services. Ray was born Feb. 26, 1929, in Baylor to Severt and Victoria (Johnson) Biem. He was raised and educated in Opheim and Glasgow. He entered the U.S. Army on Nov. 14, 1947, in Glasgow. He served until his honorable discharge on March 4, 1950, as a private first class. After his military service, Ray returned to the Glasgow area and worked for the Montana Highway Department and a geophysical department. He met Mary Isle in Wolf Point and the couple married Dec. 18, 1953, in Wolf Point. The couple made their home in Glasgow. They moved many times and eventually settled in Glasgow, where Ray worked for Eddy's Bread Co. He was transferred in 1978 to Havre. Ray worked as a salesman for Eddy's Bread Co. For 34 years, retiring in December of 1990. Ray was a devoted family man who had an interest in politics. Anyone who ever wanted to understand the political arena could just ask Ray. He kept up-to-date on the political agendas. Ray enjoyed traveling in his motor home to visit his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. One of his other pleasures was driving his riding lawn mower. Ray was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church and of national Moose organization. Ray was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Ernest and Anard Biem; half-brother, Renford Johnson; sister, Ilene; and greatgranddaughter, Samantha. Survivors include his wife, Mary Biem of Havre; daughters, Kathleen Biem of Escondido, Calif., and Carol (Terry) Holmes of Greeley, Colo.; sons, Ronald (Trixy) Biem of Havre, Robert (Donna) Biem of Havre, Randy (Dee) Biem of Monongahela, Pa., Ernest (Terri) Biem of Kalamo, Mich., and Raymond Jr. (Natalee Kelman) of Great Falls; sisters, Vernice Watterud of Glasgow and Opal (Fred) Whitkanack of Brazil, Ind.; brother, Kenneth (Pat Peterson) Biem of Spokane, Wash.; nine grandchildren; nine greatgrandchildren. Memorial contributions in Ray's honor may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral