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Note: DEATH: heart failure BIOGRAPHY: Ray and Rose moved thier young family many times. They lived for a while in a cabin in the woods near Shakey lake MI. They then moved to a farm in Wausakee WI where the children attended a one room school house. Ray could read and write but never got to attend High School himself. He was adamant that all of his children get an education and this was often a bone of contention with his own sons for many years. Later they moved back to the upper pennisula of MI to farm and had several homes there. They lived near Talbot and also had a small farm on Bagly rd. Later still, they moved to Daggett MI where Ray eventually went into the lumber business for himself. He had a saw mill and did a variety of work depending on the seaon. In the spring they stripped poplar and in the winter they hauled Christmas trees to Chicago. The kids all helped and worked alongside of their parents. The kids could earn extra money for themselves by selling saw dust to the slaughter houses and young saplings to the iron mills. Ray and Rose were married just at the onset of the Great Depression and they often lived hand to mouth just like everyone else int he community at that time. They and their nieghbors belonged to the WPA for a while. It was a goverment work program that helped to supplement income. Ray jokingly referred to it at as "We Poor Assholes." When things had just started to improve and they could put some money aside, Ray purchased thier first family automoble with all of their savings as a surprise for Rose. Unfortunatley, before bringing it home he stopped off at a local tavern to celebrate (something his sons say he did often), got drunk and wrecked the auto before Rose ever got to see it. In 1950 Ray got a contract to clear timber in Canada for the oil lines. On a short visit back to MI during the holidays he was pulled over by a Highway Patrolman for having a tail light out. While Ray and the officer were standing in the back of the car looking at the light they were struck from behind by a truck. Ray was pinned between the truck and his own vehicle. He spent several months in the hospital, and although seriously injured he did eventually recover. Ray died at the age of 52 from heart failure. Rose was to survive him by another 30 years. She never remarried, but always had a house full of children and grandchildren. In her later years she would take in handicapepd adults to care for for the state also. She wrote a great deal of poetry and short stories throughout her life.
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