In Memory of Ray Lodin

Ray Lodin, age 95, of Isanti died February 28, 2018 at Ecumen in North Branch.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, March 3rd at Strike Life Tributes in Isanti.  A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.  Interment will be in Athens Lutheran Cemetery.

Ray Curtis Lodin was born June 11, 1922 on the Lodin farmstead in Athens Township, Minnesota to Albert and Christine (Johnson) Lodin. He was the youngest of the six children. Ray attended the Athens School through the 8th grade. In 1943 he met Juanieta Westlund and on November 25, 1944 they were married at Faith Lutheran Church. In 1949 they moved into Isanti where they raised their family. Ray worked at National Pole and then Bell Pole and Lumber for 40 years, retiring in 1987. He then worked many part time jobs including painting houses and cutting wood.

In his younger years Ray enjoyed hunting. Ray especially loved fishing and his trips to Lake Winnibigoshish and Lake of the Woods. He loved socializing, telling not-so-funny jokes, spending hours on his deck watching cars and wondering where each car was coming from, and his social hours at the VFW. Ray was affectionately known as “Big Time” by his friends and family and he will be dearly missed.

Ray passed away February 28, 2018 at Ecumen in North Branch at the age of 95 years, 8 months and 17 days. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by his wife, Juanieta; two brothers, George and Fritz; three sisters, Edna, Gladys and Esther; grandson, Jonathan Hiljus; and son-in-law, Loren Reichel.

Ray is survived by two sons, Dennis (Kathy) Lodin, and Curtis (Trish) Lodin; two daughters, Linda (Dennis) Cameron, and Sandra (Russell) Larson; 12 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandson; and by many other relatives and friends.