Raymond P. Ganey

Northview-North Mankato Mortuary
2060 Commerce Dr
North Mankato, MN 56003

Raymond P. Ganey, 91, of North Mankato, died peacefully Friday, May 6, 2016 at Mayo Clinic Health Care System – Mankato.

A Celebration of Life will take place from 4-7 p.m., Saturday, May 14, 2016 at Northview – North Mankato Mortuary in North Mankato.

Ray was born November 28, 1924 to Denis and Mary (Murray) Ganey at home in Chicago, IL. He graduated from Quigley Preparatory Seminary, attended Mundelein Seminary and received his M.S.W. from Loyola University. On June 25, 1948 he married Helen M. Ryan at St. Mary’s Church in Evanston, IL. Together they raised 5 children, John, Joe, Anne, Cathy, and Steve. In 1995, they moved to North Mankato to be closer to family.

Ray founded the Adult and Child Guidance Center at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, IL where he served as a Social Worker and Administrator for over 30 years. He was a founding board member of Housing Options for the Mentally Ill of Evanston (HOME) which dedicated a home, Ganey House, in his honor. He and Helen also endowed a scholarship fund for social work students at Loyola University. Ray was a strong advocate for mental health. He had a big heart and dedicated his life to helping others. After moving to North Mankato, he helped found the YWCA’s Girls on the Run program and was a generous contributor to many nonprofit organizations.

Ray will be remembered for living life to the fullest. He had a great sense of humor and was a stimulating conversationalist until the very end. In his free time, he enjoyed being in nature, birding, music, art, the Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Cubs (to his ongoing frustration), discussing politics and most of all, being with his family. Ray had an irrepressible and irreverent spirit and more "Joie de Vivre” than anyone, and he will be greatly missed by many.

Ray is lovingly survived by his children, John (Peg) Ganey, Joe (Lisa) Ganey, Anne (Mark Anderson) Ganey, Cathy (Jack) Lauer, and Steve (Sandra) Ganey; grandchildren, Dan (Janna Aho) Kytola, Kelly Kytola, David (Maricarmen Perez-Vargas) Ganey, Nicole Ganey, Matt (Stephanie) Lauer, Katie Lauer, Marty Lauer, Terra Ganey, and Wren Ganey; great-grandchildren, Royce, Dante and Cameron Kytola; brother, Gene (Lou) Ganey; brother-in-law, Fr. Art Ryan; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Helen; and brothers, Albert and Paul.

In keeping with his generous and compassionate heart, the family prefers memorials to organizations he supported: Echo Food Shelf, YWCA-Mankato, the Harry Meyering Center, Power Up Clubhouse in St. Peter, MN or HOME in Evanston.