Raymond Lischer

Raymond Fred Lischer went to be with our Lord on September 6, 2008 at the Marshalltown Medical and Surgical Center. He was surrounded by family members in his final hours. Ray was 90 years old.
Ray was born in Massena, Iowa on January 12, 1918. He was the third son of Fred and Blanche Lischer. He graduated from Red Oak High School and entered the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. As a pilot in the “Bloody Hundredth” out of England, he flew a B-17 and participated in 35 missions over Germany, Italy and France.
Returning to Iowa after the war, he finished his degree at Iowa State University and began a 45-year career with the Burlington Northern Railroad as an engineer.
On October 29, 1950, he married Shirley Nord of Creston. His death was six weeks shy of their 58th wedding anniversary. He is survived by his wife, Shirley and their three children; Susan Lewkow and husband, Bill in Centennial, CO; Karen Lischer and husband, Mark Smith in Marshalltown, IA; and Art Lischer and fiance, Susan Messerli, in West Des Moines, IA. Art and Susan are to be married on September 20th. Ray and Shirley have four grandchildren; Brad and Paige Lewkow, Allie Smith, and Steven Lischer.
Ray and Shirley lived and farmed east of Creston until 2006. They have been living at Glenwood Place in Marshalltown, a few blocks from Mark and Karen.
Ray was an avid sports fan. He followed the Creston Panthers, the Iowa State University Cyclones, and the New York Yankees. On a daily basis he read four local and regional newspapers. He could always quote the market price of corn and soybeans, plus give you a current weather forecast for western Iowa.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents and his three brothers, Warren, Dale, and Merrill. A memorial service in Creston is being planned. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Southwestern Community College Education Fund or the UCC Congregational Church Memorial Fund, both in Creston, Iowa.