Obituary: Raymond A. Hentschel

Raymond A. Hentschel, 69, passed away due to ALS at his residence surrounded by his family.

Vigil services will be held at 7: p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, and his funeral Mass will be held at 1 p.m Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, all at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church with Father Michael Schneider officiating. Burial will follow in Highland Cemetery. The family has requested that memorial donations be made to St. Jude Thaddeus Church and School, the ALS Association, Gift Processing Center, PO Box 6051, Albert Lea, MN 56007, or to the charity of the donor's choice.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements.

Please visit his online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for his family at http://www.hollandbonine.com.

Ray was born April 8, 1947, in Wartenberg, Bavaria, Germany, to Alfred Paul and Ruth (Bartsch) Hentschel. His family came to the United States on the ship the General Taylor when he was 5, settling in Havre.

Ray attended St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic School until his sophomore year, then began attending Havre High School. He graduated from Havre High in 1966. He married his beloved wife and soul mate, Gayle Pierson in 1966. The couple had three wonderful children, two sons, Ray and Rick, and a daughter, Tami. They loved small-town life and made their home in Havre, Montana.

Sadly, Gayle passed away in 1986. Ray was a devoted father and a hard worker. He took pride working for the railroad for 37 years as a locomotive engineer, retiring in 2007. In 1996 Ray was blessed with another son, Garrett Hentschel.

Ray's greatest joy was being with his family and friends outdoors. Most of his time was spent at his Fresno lake cabin, cruising on his pontoon boat, jet skiing, water skiing, fishing and camping. He also enjoyed snow skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing and, most of all, riding his Harley motorcycle. He had a special gift when it came to gardening, and he loved to share all his vegetables with everyone. He also was quite the humanitarian, showing his concern for others by offering his advice on healthy living, diet and nutrition. He spent considerable time exercising, staying fit and eating healthy. He loved to build things from remodeling his home to fixing up and flipping houses, while also helping with family projects. He was a member of the Railroad Pagers. You could often hear Ray on Tradio, buying and selling items, always looking for a good deal. He was known, to you and me, as the Tradio king.

  Ray was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Gayle Hentschel; his parents, Alfred and Ruth Hentschel; and his brother, Alfred W. Hentschel.

He is survived by his sons Raymond (Lisa), Richard (Jacquelyn), his daughter, Tami (Rick) Carlson, and son, Garrett Hentschel, all of Havre; his six grandchildren; his two great-grandchildren; his sisters, Ingaborg Goebel of Havre and Sylvia (Gary) Funk of Missoula; and numerous nieces and nephews.