1921
Raymond
2013
Raymond Joseph Kelsch
October 4, 1921 — June 24, 2013
Raymond J. Kelsch, died in Idaho Falls on June 24th, 2013. Raymond was the second son and fifth child born to Peter and Bertha Poitner Kelsch in a family of 17. He was proceeded in death by his wife Carlene, two infant sons, Raymond Stephen and Edward Lewis, his parents, Peter and Bertha, six brothers and seven sisters and one step-son. He is survived by one son, Tony Kelsch (Jeanne) of Idaho Falls, and two daughters, Terri McAffee (Bruce) of Rupert and Julie Gonzales (Tony) of El Cajon, Califonia. He has two surviving brothers Vern (Idaho Falls) and James (Boise) and two sisters Betty (Tuscon, AZ) and Joyce (Easton, MD) He has three children, eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
Raymond was born in Greencreek, Idaho on October 4, 1921. The family lived on the Palouse prairie until Raymond was four, when they moved to the Idaho Falls area to farm. The family farmed on Holmes Rd. and Park Rd. over the years. Raymond grew up loving to farm and working with the horses. He graduated from the eighth grade from Holy Rosary School and then attended Idaho Falls High School for the ninth grade.
In 1942 Raymond joined the U.S. Army Air Force, training as an airplane mechanic. He and Beth Weise from the York area were married in 1944. After completing his schooling on the bombers: B-28s and the B29s, while assigned to the Rattlesnake Air Force Base in Pyote, Texas, he was shipped to the Pacific where he worked on P52 fighter planes,.
Upon his return from the Pacific, he and Beth farmed and raised cattle and sheep on Cotton Rd. until in the early 1970s. The family moved off the farm and Raymond went to school on diesel mechanics at Weiser. He and Beth divorced in 1974.
Raymond went to work on railroad diesel engines and trucks for Morrison-Knudsen train repair shop in Boise where he rose from lead man to shop foreman. He and Carleen Ashliman Chambers were married in 1975. They lived in Boise until 1994 when Raymond retired and they moved to Kamiah, near Raymond's birthplace. Always a mechanic at heart with a love of welding and all around handy-man, Raymond worked in his garage tinkering on projects until his health no longer allowed him the mobility he needed.
After Carleen's death in November 2012, Raymond returned to Idaho Falls to be close to his children. He was living at Pinebrook Assisted Living at the time of his death. He loved horseback riding, hunting, fishing and doing all-around handy man projects. He will be remembered by those who loved him as the story teller of the family. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 29, 2013 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 149 9th Street in Idaho Falls, with Father Raul Covarrubias, celebrant. A Rosary will be held from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Buck-Miller-Hann Funeral Home, 825 E. 17th Street in Idaho Falls, with a viewing following from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
When: Friday, June 28th, 2013
Location: Funeral Home
Address:
When: Friday, June 28th, 2013
Location: Funeral Home
Address:
When: Saturday, June 29th, 2013
Location: Funeral Home
Address:
Raymond was born in Greencreek, Idaho on October 4, 1921. The family lived on the Palouse prairie until Raymond was four, when they moved to the Idaho Falls area to farm. The family farmed on Holmes Rd. and Park Rd. over the years. Raymond grew up loving to farm and working with the horses. He graduated from the eighth grade from Holy Rosary School and then attended Idaho Falls High School for the ninth grade.
In 1942 Raymond joined the U.S. Army Air Force, training as an airplane mechanic. He and Beth Weise from the York area were married in 1944. After completing his schooling on the bombers: B-28s and the B29s, while assigned to the Rattlesnake Air Force Base in Pyote, Texas, he was shipped to the Pacific where he worked on P52 fighter planes,.
Upon his return from the Pacific, he and Beth farmed and raised cattle and sheep on Cotton Rd. until in the early 1970s. The family moved off the farm and Raymond went to school on diesel mechanics at Weiser. He and Beth divorced in 1974.
Raymond went to work on railroad diesel engines and trucks for Morrison-Knudsen train repair shop in Boise where he rose from lead man to shop foreman. He and Carleen Ashliman Chambers were married in 1975. They lived in Boise until 1994 when Raymond retired and they moved to Kamiah, near Raymond's birthplace. Always a mechanic at heart with a love of welding and all around handy-man, Raymond worked in his garage tinkering on projects until his health no longer allowed him the mobility he needed.
After Carleen's death in November 2012, Raymond returned to Idaho Falls to be close to his children. He was living at Pinebrook Assisted Living at the time of his death. He loved horseback riding, hunting, fishing and doing all-around handy man projects. He will be remembered by those who loved him as the story teller of the family. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 29, 2013 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 149 9th Street in Idaho Falls, with Father Raul Covarrubias, celebrant. A Rosary will be held from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Buck-Miller-Hann Funeral Home, 825 E. 17th Street in Idaho Falls, with a viewing following from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
Service Details.
Visitation
When: Friday, June 28th, 2013
Location: Funeral Home
Address:
Second Visitation
When: Friday, June 28th, 2013
Location: Funeral Home
Address:
Service
When: Saturday, June 29th, 2013
Location: Funeral Home
Address:
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