Obituary of Ray Yaw

Ray Dean Yaw was born June 8, 1932 in Alta, Iowa, the son of Russell and Evelyn (Carlson) Yaw. He served in the United States Air Force from 1952-1956 and was based at Travis Air Force Base in Vacaville, California. He then served in the reserves from 1956-1960. Ray was the recipient of the Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. On June 26, 1952, Ray was united in marriage to Catherine Eischeid in Storm Lake, Iowa. The family moved back to Iowa in 1958 and then settled in Lake Park, Iowa in 1961. He owned an auto body repair shop and was employed by the City of Lake Park. Following retirement, Ray worked part-time at Cycle Country. Ray was a member of the American Legion and the Lake Park Fire Department. He enjoyed fishing, playing cribbage and telling fishing stories with his buddies at Kabele's Trading Post. He also enjoyed collecting Texaco memorabilia. Those that knew dad could easily recognize him in his gold colored stocking hat that he refused to part with for the past twenty-five years. Over the last couple years, he found great joy from the back-and-forth teasing between he and the ladies at the hospital. Ray passed away December 28, 2010 at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake at seventy-eight years of age. He is survived by his daughters, Sister Susan Catherine Kennedy of Diocese of Tyler, Texas, Barbara Admire and her husband, Doug, of Lake Park, Pat Daggs and her husband, Jim, of Ackley, Iowa, Marie Matthiesen of Lake Park; sons, Jim Yaw of Sioux City, Chris Yaw and his wife, Donette, of Orange City, Iowa; sister, Carma Anderson of Mesa, Arizona; grandchildren, Katie Harris, Bill Kennedy IV, Jamie Van Erem, Audra Crispin, Chad Matthiesen, Taylor Yaw, Alyssa Yaw, Rylee Yaw, Mitchell Yaw, Claire Yaw; eight grand-children. He was preceded in death by his wife of fifty-one years, parents and son-in-law, William Kennedy III.