Raymond B. Wiersbeck

Raymond Bernard Wiersbeck, 83, of Byron, passed away on Tuesday, September 18, 2012, at his home. Ray was born February 19, 1929, in Aberdeen, South Dakota to Bernard and Hatta (Ihrke) Wiersbeck. He graduated from Aberdeen Central High School in 1947, then attended Northern State Teacher's College in Aberdeen. Ray enlisted in the Navy and served during the Korean war. Ray moved to upstate New York and began a career in photography at Ansco in Binghamton, where he met Sarah Kalagian. They were married on June 16, 1956. Shortly after that, Ray began a long career with IBM, spanning 33 years. In 1969, Ray and family moved to Rochester, where he continued working until retirement in 1989. Ray had a love of horses. Nugget was in the family for over thirty years and they often went on trail rides together. Ray also completed flight training and obtained his pilot's license for small planes, including the Piper Cub. He enjoyed baseball very much and coached a few of his son's little league teams. Also followed the Twins very closely, attending a couple World Series games in 1987. He enjoyed outdoor sports, including pheasant hunting in South Dakota and fly fishing. Ray was very good at mechanical things, working on auto engines and building things around the house. He took great pride in maintaining a beautiful yard at the house over the years. Ray was very active in his church and served in many capacities. This community was one of the most important parts of his life. Ray was unassuming and easy-going. He volunteered at Channel One for over ten years and enjoyed helping people. He had a quiet sense of humor and was always encouraging. Ray was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, two children LaVonne (Jeff) Schwab of Evans, GA and Mark Wiersbeck of Maple Grove, MN; grandson Justin; sisters Vivian Murphy and LaVonne Scepaniak of Aberdeen. The memorial service will be at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Rochester on Saturday, September 29th, with Reverend Douglas Sparks officiating. Visitation begins at 10am, with the service at 11am. Burial will take place at Byron cemetery in Byron. Military honors will be provided by the Byron American Legion. Memorials may be offered to Channel One, Salvation Army, St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Rochester or Season's Hospice.