Raymond Paul (Ray) Blockhus

October 19, 2014

Service Details

Raymond Paul (Ray) Blockhus
5-22-22 - 10-19-14

Ray was born in Park City, Utah to Norwegian Immigrant parents, Martin and Anne Johansen Blockhus. Shortly thereafter, Martin stayed behind to work in the silver mines, and the family moved to a farm in West Union, Iowa, where Ray grew up, graduating from West Union High School. Ray joined the Navy in WWII, sailing mostly to China and other far eastern ports.

Ray was a salesman his entire working career and spent the last 20 years of his working life with the former Ahern-Pershing Office Supply, Des Moines, where most of those years he was the successful contract bidder for the State of Iowa to furnish all office supplies for the state and its agencies.

Ray and his wife, Carolyn, dearly loved music and attended the Des Moines Symphony concerts and the Des Moines Metro Opera until his health declined. Ray was also intensely interested in his Norwegian heritage, and he and Carolyn took a 12 day cruise to Norway in 1999, meeting relatives along the way and visiting the home of a special cousin. They traveled from Bergen in the south to the northernmost part of Europe, “The Land of the Midnight Sun” and the last stop before the Arctic Circle. It was a trip relived often in memory and on film.

Ray, besides loving music, had a talented and powerful singing voice, doing solo work for years in California where he settled after WWII; he also sang a few solos for The Reserve on Walnut Creek in Urbandale where he enjoyed living for the past seven years.

Ray is survived by his wife, Carolyn; daughter, Paula and son-in-law, Robert Karl; grandson, Matthew (Elissa) Karl; great grandson, Macey; and great granddaughter, Avery. He is also survived by nieces and nephews, Sonja Blockhus Hunt, Eric Blockhus, Mary Anne Hatch, Melinda Engelbrecht, Margaret Miner, Martin Frieden, and Mike Frieden.

Ray was predeceased by his father, Martin; mother, Anne; sisters, Helen, and Odney; and brothers, Walter, Martin, and Ralph.

Per Ray’s wishes, he was cremated with no formal services planned.

Memorial Contributions may be directed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in loving memory of Raymond.

On-line condolences to www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

“Sleep Sweet” Gentle Spirit

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