Raymond Humburg

Raymond Humburg, 85, formerly of Clear Lake, departed this life Friday, October 25, 2024, at Sunny View Care Center in Ankeny. Funeral services will be 2 p.m., Friday, November 1, at Faith Baptist Church, Mason City. Interment will be at Hillside Cemetery, Sheffield. Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church. Those wishing to extend an expression of sympathy to the family may choose to send a donation to the Iowa Regular Baptist Camp in his memory. Woodley Funeral Home and Crematory, of Hampton is caring for Ray and his family.

Raymond Dale Humburg was born in a doctor’s house in Swaledale on February 2, 1939, to Arthur Carl and Catherine Marie (Yitzen) Humburg. Ray embraced the title of “Groundhog” all his days.

Ray grew up on farms in Sheffield, Rockwell, Thornton and Clear Lake and moved into town in 1953.

After graduating from Clear Lake High School on May 28, 1957, Ray enlisted in the Army. After training at Fort Riley, Kansas and Fort Benning, Georgia, he served in Bamberg, Germany as a mechanic. He received commendations for Marksman (pistol), Sharpshooter (rifle) and Good Conduct.

Ray was united in marriage to Gloria Lynn Hardee at Oakdale Baptist Church in Loris, South Carolina on April 8, 1962.

Ray was a member of the Clear Lake Regular Baptist Church, Faith Baptist Church of Mason City and the Altoona Regular Baptist Church. Ray served as a deacon, door greeter, Sunday School superintendent, cleaned the church building, taught adult Sunday School, helped in the children’s ministries, had leading parts in Christmas programs, sang in the choir and special numbers, led services at the nursing homes and participated in the patriotic services.

Ray’s favorite verse was Psalm 34:6: “This poor man cried and the Lord delivered him out of all his troubles.”

Ray worked various jobs: gill-netting fish for the DNR, driving the excursion boat, “The Princess”, The Brick and Tile Company, Lehigh Cement, Ruan, Witkes Boat Company, the Sugar Beet Factory and painting for Leonard Washburn.

In 1967 Ray and Gloria started “Ray’s Cleaning Service”, a residential and commercial cleaning business that operated for 48 years. Ray was more concerned with helping people than making money and often saw people on their worst days: after a flood, fire or suicide.

Ray could never escape his roots and enjoyed raising horses, sheep, bees and bailing hay on his hobby farm. Ray’s favorite horse, “Sunbeam Gala”, a gift from his niece, lived to be 33 years old.

Ray’s sheep were award winning 4H projects, attractions for summer tourists at the lake to pet and feed, props in church Christmas plays and objects for show and tell at school.

Ray was all about his nieces and nephews and was always bragging about their accomplishments. They all loved “Uncle Ray.”

Ray is survived by his wife of 62 years, Gloria; son, Chris (Angi), Runnells; daughter: Robin (Rollie) Copeland, Granville, Ill.; daughter: Margaret (Ben) Nash, Dougherty and their daughter April Tidwell, Des Moines; 11 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents; sisters Irene and Shirley; brothers Carl, Kenneth, Dale and Donald in infancy.