Raynor Hemmingsen

Raynor Andrew Hemmingsen, 80, of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away Wednesday, October 28, 2015, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital.

He was born November 29, 1934, in rural Elk Horn, Iowa, at the home of his parents, Raymond and Hilda (Andersen) Hemmingsen. Raynor was baptized and confirmed at Elk Horn Lutheran church. He graduated from Elk Horn High School with the class of 1953. He continued his education by attending Dana College for two years and was drafted in the United States Army in April of 1957.

Raynor served with the 5th Surgical Hospital, 7th US Army in Heidelberg, Germany, until March of 1959. While stationed in Germany he met Ingrid Schwarz, the love of his life, in a small café. After returning to the United States, he proposed to her in a letter. Ingrid and Raynor were united in marriage on December 6, 1959, in the Elk Horn Lutheran Church.

As a young couple they spent many hours at the softball diamond where Raynor was the catcher for the Atlantic Merchants. They enjoyed camping and fishing together and later became avid golfers. He worked in accounting and management for 38 years for Challenge Feeds, which became ADM and Gooch Feeds. He retired in 1997 and he and Ingrid became snowbirds traveling each winter to El Centro, California, where a travel trailer became their home and the new neighbors became wonderful friends at Sunbeam Lake Resort. He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and a member at Nishna Hills Golf Club where he enjoyed the fellowship of many special friends.

Raynor was a metronome of a man; a steady calm presence keeping time to the cadence of a life lived in motion. He was quick to laugh, slow to speak and unflappable in temperament.

Raynor is survived by his wife of over 55 years, Ingrid Hemmingsen of Atlantic, IA; his daughters, Alisha Rourick of Boise, ID and Pamela (James) Borglum of Hermosa, SD; his grandchildren, Blake Rourick, Tyler Rourick, Summer Whillock and Sophia Whillock; brothers, Franklin (Jerri) Hemmingsen of Elk Horn, IA and Dewey (Ginger) Hemmingsen of Duluth, MN; sisters-in-law, Joanne Hemmingsen of Arizona, Ute (Wolfgang) Ruettinger, Monika (Richard) Fehrenbach all of Germany; many nieces, nephews other relatives and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Hilda Hemmingsen; his parents-in-law, Lydia and Wilhelm Bauer; his brother, Vernon Hemmingsen; and his aunt, Bertha Andersen.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, November 5, 2015, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa.

There is no scheduled visitation. A luncheon will be served at the church following the memorial service where people will have time to visit and reminisce.

A private family interment of ashes will take place at a later date.

The family requests memorials to the family in lieu of flowers to be used per Raynor's wishes.