Raymond Vincent Matter, age 94, of St. Paul, MN… passed peacefully into the arms of his Lord, surrounded by his loving family, on April 12, 2021. Raymond was born and grew up in southwestern MN. He served his country in WWII as a U.S. Navy airplane mechanic until his honorable discharge in December 1946, four months before his 20th birthday. In 1952, the country boy met his city girl bride and love of his life, June Dorothy Glispie, and they married in August of that year. Ray and June celebrated 50 wonderful years together before her death in 2003. Raymond was a lifetime excavator and 49er, the owner/operator of Rayco Excavating, a 60-year member of and usher at Assumption Catholic Church, and a wicked good cribbage player. Above all, he was a faith-filled, loving, kind, selfless, and wonderful man, husband, father, son, brother, uncle, neighbor, and friend.
Welcoming Raymond to his heavenly home are his beloved wife June; his parents August and Luverna (née Meyer) Matter; his cherished little sister Mary Ann (née Matter) Vogel; his brothers-in-law Edward DeSmith and Albert Vogel; his treasured like-a-son nephew Paul DeSmith; his nephew Gregg DeSmith; his grand-nephew Joshua Schommer and grand-niece Carissa DeSmith; and a 94-year lifetime of family and friends.
Left behind to celebrate Raymond’s life and cherish his memory are his loving children… son Brian, daughter Kathleen, son David (Kelly), and son Rory (Ping). He also leaves his cherished grandchildren Devin, Conor and Alana Murphy, Erin, Sean and Tara June Matter, and Rowan, Ian and Logan Matter; his beloved little sisters Dorothy (Matter) DeSmith and Sister Virginia Matter, OSB; his many and much-loved nephews and nieces (and their spouses); his Goddaughters Ann (née DeSmith) Schommer and Nancy (née Glisky) Loe, his special life-long friend Ellie Kraemer, and a lifetime collection of wonderful friends. We are so thankful for the kind, respectful, and gentle care and outreach provided to Dad by St. Croix Hospice in his last year. NuNu, Erin, Craig, and Kristen… you are beautiful souls in a much-needed ministry and service!! And we are thankful beyond measure, as was Dad, for Bill Hanson and Jeff Menard who blessed the twilight of Dad’s life with their regular visits, their care and compassion, their lengthy conversations, and their thoughtful gifts of magazines, sweets, lutefisk, “$5000 walleye”, and homemade soup! You made his day every time you visited.
All are welcome to Raymond’s Mass of Christian Burial being held 10:00AM Saturday, April 17, 2021 at Church of the Assumption (51 7th St W, St Paul) and can also be viewed via livestream through the Wulff Funeral Home Facebook page. A visitation will be open to the public on Friday, April 16, 2021 from 4:00PM to 8:00PM at Wulff Funeral Home (1485 White Bear Ave, St Paul). Interment at Union Cemetery. Masks and social distancing required.
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