Raymond Vetter passed to the arms of his Lord on March 10,2012 in Mesa, Ariz. at the age of 92. He was surrounded by his wife of 73 years, Agnes; his daughters Gwen Johnson, Mesa, Ariz., Jackie (Jack) Lakoduk, Hudson, Fla. and Corie (Bob) Doran, Quartz Hill, Calf.

Raymond Vetter was born on November 11, 1919 in Coleharbor, ND. He was the 9th of fifteen children born to Gottfried and Maria (Hummel) Vetter. Ray grew up on the family farm and though he had to quit school after the eighth grade to help on the farm he did complete his GED.
Because of the size of their family, the Vetter boys had their own baseball team. It was at one of their baseball games that Ray met Agnes Johnson. The two were married on December 3, 1939 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Garrison. To their union were born four children, three girls and one boy. Ray farmed until 1960 when he broke his tailbone. While this accident ended his farming career, it did allow him to pursue something else he had always wanted to do, so he became a barber. After attending Barber College in Sioux Falls, SD he opened barber shops in Gary, SD and later in Clear Lake, SD.
While Ray was a farmer and a barber, he could also have been described as a "superman", because he was handy at lots of things. He did all kinds of construction work which included being a carpenter, electrician, plumber, and a mechanic. He was also a Little League coach, a member of the Lion's Club, and avid dancer as well as a golfer and bowler. He was a tinkerer and was especially skilled in creations involving barbed wire. He and Agnes loved to travel and had been to Ireland, Germany, and various countries in Europe and Alaska.

He barbered until 1982 when he "retired" and started wintering in Arizona. He was a "snow bird" for nine years before buying a home in Dreamland Villa.

Ray died on March 10th at Good Shepherd Villa after a three year battle with Lymphoma Leukemia.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Marlin, and brothers Albert, Otto, Reuben, Arnold, David, Wilbert, Gottfried, Benjamin, and Emil, and sisters, Elsie, Hilda, Odelia, Stella, and infant sister.

He is survived by his wife, Agnes, three daughters, Gwen, Mesa, Jackie (Jack) Lakoduk, Hudson, FL, and Corie (Bob) , Quartz Hill, CA; and bone brother, Kenneth, Omaha, Neb., nine grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, and 4 great great grandchildren.

Funeral services are scheduled for Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Garrison.