H Ray Piper

Howard Ray "H. Ray" Piper, age 72, of North Mankato and formerly of Vernon Center, died Monday, August 1, 2005 at his home following a determined battle with cancer.

A farewell gathering with the family will be held from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, August 4, 2005 at Mankato Mortuary. Memorials are preferred to the American Cancer Society.

H. Ray was born 10-9-32 in Wood, South Dakota to Howard O. and Edith (Sinkler) Piper. Due to the dust bowl, he moved with his parents in 1934 to Yakima, Washington, then to Kane, Wyoming in 1935 where his father staked the last state homestead land. In 1940, they moved back to Wood, then in 1941 to St. Paul, Minnesota then back to Wood in 1945. He graduated from Wood High School in 1951 and Dunwoody Institute in 1952. He was drafted by the Army in 1953 and served at Camp Carson Colorado and Ft Knox Kentucky. He was honorably discharged in 1955. After the army he worked first in California and then Odessa, Texas where he met and married his first wife, Rosalie Becker on November 9, 1958. They moved to West St. Paul in 1960 and to Vernon Center in 1966. In 1976, he married Donna Eastman. He worked for Mid America Pipeline Company for 35 years and managed the loading terminal in Vernon Center for 30 years. The golden rule at the terminal for the drivers (truckees) was "don't beat on Ray's nuts" (couplings). Ray says "When the phone rings I won't have to stand up and bend over, will I, Meyer? Just had to do it.

Ray loved to fish and turkey hunt in Missouri. He also enjoyed working in his wood shop supplying all of his friends and family with an abundance of clocks and whirligigs.

Survivors include his wife Donna, of North Mankato, son Howard of Vernon Center, daughters and son-in-law Rose and Lyle Forst of Gibbon, Julie Eastman of West St. Paul, brother Monte Piper of Winnebago, brother-in-law and wife Bill and Gail Anderson of Lake Crystal and special cousins Glen and Loraine Brown of Cross Timbers, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his parents and his first wife.