Ray H. Sease

Ray Sease, 92, Bismarck, went to the arms of our Lord July 13, 2014. He will be deeply missed by all of those whose lives he touched. Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 11:00 AM at Bismarck Baptist Church with Rev. Merle Hoots officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5:30 – 7:00 PM at Eastgate Funeral Service in Bismarck and will continue on Thursday one hour prior to the service at the church. Ray was born on September 16, 1921, to Earl and Ada Blanchard Sease. He and his five siblings grew up on the McClusky farmstead. Ray was mechanically inclined and could fix, build, design or troubleshoot anything. After working in the shipyards in California during World War II welding underwater for 12 hours a day, he returned to McClusky to try his hand at farming. Shortly after, he started his own business, Sease's Blacksmith Shop in McClusky. Ray married Mae Lang on February 16, 1946. Their first three children, Jay, Lynn, and Tamara were born in McClusky. After 13 years, he added a partner, his brother-in-law, Dan Mayer, to his business. Later Ray moved his family to Bismarck where their fourth child, Robin, was born. He took a job at Caterpillar building tracks for heavy equipment. Two years later, he went to work for Kirschman Manufacturing where he designed, built prototypes, and was known as the "Jig Maker" because of his engineering and design ability. He was proud that he built the first Spray Coup in the 1960s. When Kirschman sold to Melroe, Ray continued to design and build the prototypes in their manufacturing process. He designed a grain drill at Melroe. It was sold to a major company which he was very proud of. In 1982, Ray took an early retirement from Melroe, but continued to weld for several local companies until he was 76 years old. He helped other local inventors with designs and helped build equipment, such as Bob Schonert and his "Three-Row-Weeder". Ray continued to build and weld until he was 92. He had a hydraulic hospital bed that he used at his home which he redesigned, and his favorite chair he modified with a hydraulic lift, and when his walker broke, he welded that also. Ray was always looking for ways to build things better. If Ray was your neighbor you were extremely lucky. He built a full-sized enclosed cab snowblower from scrap materials and you could often hear him clearing snow on the sidewalks of 23rd Street for the neighborhood. Anyone who needed a washer, dryer, or mower fixed, a boat prop worked on, or ice skates sharpened, had their own repairman in the neighborhood. Ray loved German food, baked goods, and fresh garden produce. His wife, Mae, is a fantastic cook. They cooked holiday meals, German food, and put up pickles together for 50 years. This was also shared with their family and friends. If anyone was sick, lonely, or lost a loved one, Kuchen, pickles, homemade buns, or a hot meal were taken there immediately. During his life, Ray was blessed with six grandchildren. This grandpa got down on the floor to play with the kids, coloring, drawing, and reading. He built them an electric train from scratch, built bird houses, and an electric mechanical horse. Ray's artistic talent was amazing. He whittled animals, characters, and scenes to the delight of many family members and friends. Playing music by ear was another of his talents. Ray played piano and organ at home and even when he was a patient at a care facility, he played piano for the other patients. Ray's faith was always apparent in the life that he lived. At Bismarck Baptist Church he was a Deacon and Sunday School teacher. He never missed a service until his health started failing. He helped put in the original sod, trees, and plants when the 22nd Street church was first built. He was famous for his 20 minute Thanksgiving prayers. Every morning at 5:00 a.m. he was at the table with his Bible, reading scriptures and doing daily devotions. He instilled his good values in his children and grandchildren by example. Ray was honest, hardworking, patient, kind, a good listener, and was the truest friend anyone could have. Ray is survived by his wife of 68 years, Mae Sease; his four children, Jay Faye Sease, Lynn Wade Sease, Tam Mark Holzer, and Robin Sease; his grandchildren, Aubrey Jason LaBrato, Heather Patrick Robinson, Casey Heather Sease, Jordan Holzer, Lexi Holzer, and Logan Sease; five great-grandchildren; and his siblings, Ralph Lois Sease and Shirley Elmer Fandrich. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ada and Earl Sease; his sisters, Irene Krueger and Nida Glen Lasher; his brother, Lowell Cleaice Sease; his sister-in-law, Margie Morris Thiele; and his daughter-in-law, Mary Sease.

Ray H. Sease

September 16, 1921 - July 13, 2014