Raymond Fred “Ray” Williamson, 90, passed away peacefully at 3 p.m. Sept. 12, 2017, at his home on the family farm where he lived his entire life.
He was born June 2, 1927, in Prairie Township, to Fred Williamson and E. Fern Yeiter Williamson.
He married Margret E. “Marg” Smith on Dec. 14, 1947. They were married for 54 years prior to her passing on Jan. 14, 2002. He married Denyse M. Bolt Blankenship on March 29, 2003; she survives.
Ray attended school in Atwood. He was a member of Warsaw Church of God and the Atwood Lions Club. He was Kosciusko County Fireman of the Year in 1973.
As a child, he helped his dad along with neighbors cut blocks of ice from Hoffman Lake to deliver to local residents for use in their ice boxes. They stored ice over the summer packed in sawdust in the ice house. Ray designed and built a tandem hook-up that connected two tractors together, which enabled him to pull six 16-inch plows.
Ray was a retired farmer and known for raising llamas, many of them beautiful and grand champion show llamas. He and his late wife, Marg, started the Hoosier Llama Lovers 4-H Club back in the 1980s.
Ray is survived by his wife, Denyse Williamson, Atwood; two sons, Mike (Rhonda) Williamson, Atwood, and Gary Williamson, Elkhart; three stepchildren: Cheryl Berry-Blankenship, Muscoda, Wis.; Charlie (Glenda) Blankenship, Port Orchard, Wash.; and Cynthia (David) Laramie, San Diego, Calif.; seven grandchildren: Amber Verble, Nick Williamson, Brandon (Jenn) Williamson, Eric Williamson, Brian (Ashley) Williamson, Dylan Williamson and Cole Williamson; nine stepgrandchildren: Richie (Christie) Brown, Brandy (Brandon) Ley, Sarah Berry, Heather (Jan) Kristoffersen, Jake (Ashley) Blankenship, Zachery (Meggan) Blankenship, Abby Blankenship, Lucy Laramie and Philip Laramie; 11 great-grandchildren; seven stepgreat-grandchildren; a brother, Arden Williamson, Pierceton; and a sister, Lucille Grimm, North Manchester.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Margret Williamson, Jan. 14, 2002; two brothers, Lester Williamson and George Williamson; and a sister, Velma Gruenwald.
A time of sharing with the family will take place from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22, at Titus Funeral Home, 2000 E. Sheridan St., Warsaw.
A funeral service celebrating Ray’s life will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, with visitation one hour prior, at Warsaw Church of God, 1059 Rozella Road, Warsaw. Pastors Tim Kumfer and Jerry Yoder of Warsaw Church of God will officiate.
Burial will follow in Stony Point Cemetery, Atwood.
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Memorials to Warsaw Church of God, 1059 Rozella Road, Warsaw, IN 46580; or Atwood Lions Club, 213 Hovey St., Atwood, IN 46502.
