Raymond Charles DeNeve

Raymond Charles DeNeve, 84, of Manchester, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, July 30, 2019, at Regional Medical Center in Manchester after a 7-month-long battle with lung cancer. He was born on June 14, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest child of Rene and Helen (Yesalis) DeNeve. He graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he excelled as a varsity basketball player.  Ray went on to graduate from the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana, and taught in Missoula before accepting a fellowship at the University of Iowa where he earned a Masters in Special Education Administration. He then taught at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, before joining the Keystone Area Education Agency where he supervised the delivery of support services to special needs children.

On July 14, 1973, Ray was united in marriage to Jane Phillips at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dubuque. Ray was an active participant in life. In his younger days he skied, was a certified PADI scuba diver, kayaker, practiced Taekwondo, did RAGBRAI fourteen times, hunted in Montana, and ran marathons. He enjoyed spending winters with Jane and family on South Padre Island, Texas. Ray was a faithful member of St. Mary Catholic Church, the Masonic Lodge 165, and the American Legion Post 45, where he had served as commander.

Ray is survived by Jane, his wife of 46 years; his sister, Irene Grams of Buffalo Grove, Illinois; a half-brother, Joseph (Dawn) DeNeve; a nephew, Donal Armstrong and wife, Patricia, and their sons, Joseph (Alexandra) and Samuel (Grace); nieces and nephew, Linda (Mike Siekierski) Grams, Carol Walker, Cathy Robinson, Debi (John) Goggins, Joseph Sausman, and Lori Brown; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Madge and William Meese, and many great-nieces and great-nephews.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Catherine (Joe) Sausman and Helen (Joe) Armstrong; a brother-in-law, John Grams; nieces, Irene Grams Maag and Melanie Meese Sims; and great-nephew, Kyle William Stewart.

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