GRAND FORKS, ND – Master Sergeant Raymond “Ray” Siver, 79, beloved husband and father, died peacefully on February 9, 2018, at Valley Eldercare in Grand Forks, ND. He was an Air Force veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Ray was born on August 13, 1938, to William and Flossie Siver of Harrisburg, NY. He enlisted in the Air Force directly after high school, and in 1963, he married Mary Stone of Rochester, NY. Including serving in Korea and Vietnam, Master Sergeant Siver was also stationed in Germany, Thailand, and Loring Air Force Base, ME, where he was discharged with full honors in 1976. He continued his devotion to the military by working as a Resource Management Flight Chief at Loring Air Force Base and lived in Caribou, ME, with his wife and three children until he was relocated in 1994 to Grand Forks Air Force Base. He retired in 2001.
In addition to being a faithful and loving father, Ray was an avid fisherman and gardener; his home was listed among many garden tours in Grand Forks. He served on the Governor’s Committee on Aging, he was the past president of the Silver Haired Education Association, a member of the North Dakota Library Coordinating Council, and an active participant of both the Grand Forks Senior Center and the Library Working Group. A committed member of Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, Ray was dedicated to his Christian faith.
He is survived by his wife, Mary; his sons, Michael (Lori) and James (Christy); his daughter, Dawn (Kirk) Bargerhuff; his three grandsons; and his sister, Helen (Jack) Sweet. He was predeceased by his parents; and his sister, Priscilla Larsson.
A memorial service will take place at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, ND, on Saturday, February 24, at 11 a.m. with a meal immediately following. The service will be officiated by Pastor Scott Connolly. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association. Cards may be sent to 2336 West Springbrook Ct., Grand Forks, ND 58201.
