Raymond Leroy Mann

Raymond “Ray” Leroy Mann was born on January 8, 1931 in rural Eckley near Old Baldy to Curtis Theodore “Ted” and Jessie Marie (Dull) Mann. He passed away on March 1, 2013 at Laurel Manor Care Center in Colorado Springs.

After graduating from Kirk High School in 1949, he married his high school sweetheart , Ruby Coriene Yelek, on March 20, 1950. To this union were born 5 children: Carol, Kenneth, Karen, Kendra, and Kellie Jo.

Ray is survived by his wife, Ruby, and his 4 daughters: Carol Mattheis & husband , Kenton, Karen Sladek & husband , Edward, Kendra, and Kellie Jo, and grandchildren:   Jason & wife, Emily, Jonathan, Jeremy & wife, Charissa, and Jenna Sladek, and great-grandson, Madden Sladek.  He is also survived by his sisters:  Juanita McCauley and Wanda Bauder, and brother-in-laws: Warren Bauder, Bill Stockwell, Archie Yelek, and Don Tweedy. The family would also like to include Kevin and Pam Adler and family and Tim and Mary Kieffaber and family as survivors as they were very special to Ray.

Ray is preceded in death by his son, Kenneth, his parents, Ted and Jessie, his brother, Darrell , and sister, Myrtle Stockwell, Ruby’s parents, Frank and Cora Yelek, his sister-in-laws: Thelma Tweedy, Sara Sutton, Rosa Mann, and Frances Gray, and brother­ in laws: Bob Gray and Clarence McCauley .

Ray farmed and ranched for many years in Yuma County, Colorado and Dundy County, Nebraska.   Inlater years, he did custom butchering for many local people.   He loved to grow things to give away in his huge garden-onions , cantaloupes, watermelons, and pumpkins, which he supplied both Idalia and Liberty school children For  jack-o-lanterns  for many years.

A graveside service was held at 10:30 a.m. on April20, 2013 at the Kirk Cemetery. Memorial contributions will be given to the Idalia School Library, to benefit the children that Ray so fondly liked to help and visit with, and to the American Diabetes Association. Spellman-Schmidt Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.