Raymond Herman Irvin Greiner

Raymond Herman Irvin Greiner, the son of Julius and Marie (Mohwinkel) Greiner, was born December 28, 1920 at his parents' farm home in South Branch Township, Watonwan County, Minnesota. He was baptized in January of 1921 at home and confirmed by Pastor H.F. Brauer on March 25, 1934 at St. John's Lutheran Church of Antrim. On April 8, 1945 Ray was united in marriage to Doris Benzel by Pastor H.W. Degner at Zion Lutheran Chruch parsonage in Lewisville, Minnesota. They made their home on the Julius Greiner farm in Antrim Township, rural Truman and worked the land and raised livestock for many years. During this time he was also a sales representative for Brown Seed Corn Company and was rewarded for his hard work with a company-paid Caribbian Cruise for he and his wife. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church of Lewisville where he served as trustee for many years, was on the cemetery board and served as a Walther League youth advisor. He was also active in the band boosters, chaperoning a band trip to Winnipeg, Canada and was involved with the Peppy Peppers 4-H Club. Ray's passion for bowling was a lifelong love with him capturing the Men's Individual Title in the Truman City Bowling Tournament at the age of 73. Ray and Doris moved to Truman in 1987 and for many years he served as a handyman at the Truman Tribune. Even after retirement he made daily trips to assist on the farm and continued to enjoy gardening, keeping a close eye on the Farmer's Almanac for recommended planting dates. He spent many years enjoying the sports activities of his children and grandchildren. Ray and Doris moved into the Lutheran Manor apartment complex in 1998 and on April 12, 2001 he entered the Lutheran Retirement Home. He lost his loving wife in an automobile accident on October 27, 2002. Ray died Thursday, October 23, 2003, at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Truman at the age of eighty-two years. He is survived by a son, Rick Greiner and his wife, Vickie of Truman, Minnesota; twin daughters, Joyce Boesch and her husband, Lowell of rural Amboy, Minnesota and Judy Bowman and her husband, Jeff of Albert Lea, Minnesota; six grandchildren, Brittany and Logan Boesch, Brandon and Derrick Greiner, and Jared and Jenna Bowman; one sister, Vera Tietz of the Lutheran Manor in Truman; several nieces and nephews; his adopted family of Cairne Eytcheson, Heather Earl and Marcus Eytcheson; and many other special friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Sharon; his wife, Doris; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Laurence and Ruth Benzel; sister-in-law, Beatrice Benzel; and brother-in-law, Harold Tietz.