Ray Baird Lundgreen (1926-2010) Graveside Service Tribute by Granddaughter Mandy Lundgreen Celis

This was read at the graveside service by: Granddaughter Mandy Lundgreen Celis

Life History

I wanted to say something about my grandfather.

Ray Baird Lundgreen was born October 17th 1926 in his parents’ home in Ogden while a fierce wind storm raged outside. Assisting the Doctor at his birth was his paternal Grandmother Mary Anderson Lundgreen, a midwife.

He was the second of three children born to Orlando V. Lundgreen and Vontella (Von) H. Baird Lundgreen. He had an older brother Vern B. Lundgreen and a younger sister Joyce (Lundgreen) Fox both of whom have preceded him in death.

Soon after his birth Orlando and Vontella built their home on Fourth Street in Ogden where he lived until his marriage to Sarah Jean Law on May 3rd 1950 in the Idaho Falls Temple. This was a very special day as Ray & Jean participated in a double ceremony with one of Jean’s cousins.

For the first 16 years of their marriage Ray & Jean lived in many parts of Weber County. Finally in 1966 they were able to buy a home in Clearfield where Jean continues to reside today.

He was the proud Father and Father-in-law of 5 sons, 2 daughters, 4 daughters –in-law and 2 sons-in-law. They are Val Lundgreen, Kevan and Patty (Armstrong) Lundgreen, and Pete and JoD’An (Lundgreen) Smalley all of Clearfield, Leland Lundgreen and his recently departed wife Laurel (Bass) of Roy, Dana Lundgreen of Draper, Jonathan and Heidi (Langton) Lundgreen of Ivins, Utah and Daniel and Cindy Jo (Lundgreen) Rogers of North Attleborough, Massachusetts. He was also the Grandfather to 9 boys & 3 girls as well as Great-Grandfather to 9 (6 girls and 3 boys).

Ray worked for the United States Air Force at Hill Air Force Base for over 30 years until his retirement in 1988.

His favorite hobbies were rock collecting and fishing. He enjoyed taking his family to different locations to hunt for rocks. When he got the rocks home he would spend many hours cutting and polishing them before making them into key chains and other types of jewelry. Although he enjoyed fishing, it seemed like the thing he caught the most was one of his boys when they fell in the water.

Ray was an active Scouter for over 30 years. In 1990 Ray & Jean were called to serve for one year as missionaries in the Pittsburg Pennsylvania Mission. Upon their return home they then served as stake missionaries.

Due to various problems he encountered later in his life Ray spent the last several years in a care center where he passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 23rd 2010.

Although he will be missed we take comfort in the knowledge that he is at peace and freed from the difficulties of mortality. We look forward to the day when we and he will be reunited as a family forever.