Edwin "Eddie" "Ed" Raile of Mandan, formerly of Wishek, was called to his heavenly home on April 7, 2020.

A "Celebration of Life" Memorial Service will be held on Friday, July 31st, at 10:30 AM at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Wishek. Lunch will follow at the Wishek City Park at the large shelter.

Please come to help celebrate Eddie's life!

*Due to the concern of COVID, we suggest wearing a face covering or face mask in the church.

The CDC recommends face masks/coverings when unable to social distance.

Edwin "Eddie" "Ed" Raile, 84, of Mandan, formerly of Wishek, ND, was called to his Heavenly home April 7, 2020. Due to COVID-19 CDC guidelines a private family visitation will be held at Dahlstrom Funeral Home, Wishek, ND, followed by a private family burial at St. Luke Lutheran Cemetery, Wishek, ND. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date at St. Luke Lutheran Church, Wishek, ND.

Eddie was born in rural Wishek, North Dakota to Jacob Leopold (J.L.) and Lydia (Wanner) Raile on November 28, 1935. He was the oldest of seven children. He grew up helping his father raise livestock and work the fields of the family farm that he would later purchase from his parents.

In 1954, Eddie met Betty Lang and instantly knew he'd found the love of his life. The two spent many weekends together going to dances and enjoying each other's company. They were married in 1956 and raised six children who Eddie loved dearly.

Eddie had a passion for his work and whatever he decided to do, he was determined to be the best at it. When he began farming, he told his father that one day he would own 2,000 acres of farmland - an outrageous goal for a farmer in the 1950s. He and Betty started by growing small grain crops in the early years; wheat, oats and flax. As time went on and Eddie's farming business grew, he diversified his crop to add corn and soybeans. He was also one of the first farmers in the area to grow sunflowers. He and Betty also raised beef cattle. Some 50 years later, Eddie met his 2,000-acre goal, something he was very proud of.

As a teenager, he began collecting cars and would go on to open his own auto salvage business in the late 1960s. Just like his farming business, his auto business grew and expanded. After he spent time searching for and buying cars for each of his children, he realized he might find joy in buying and selling cars and pickups as a business. Ed became a hit with the local youth when he started selling MAG wheels. They would come out to his shop at the farm to look at his pegboard full of all the available options.

Eddie's love for cars didn't stop at buying and selling. He also loved to watch them run. In the late 1960s, he got into the local racing community by building, owning, and sponsoring several stock cars. He sponsored or owned cars with his brother Vernon, including a couple driven by his son Lloyd and son-in-law Lyle. He passed his love for racing on to his children and grandchildren, bringing them to watch the World of Outlaws sprint car races in West Fargo for many years.

His auto business grew and Ed went on to strike a deal with Schwan's to buy their ice cream truck cab and chassis so he could put a grain box and hoist on them to sell to area farmers. He was proud to say he sold some of the best used grain trucks around.

In Eddie's eyes, Chevrolet and John Deere were the best products a farmer could own. If company came to visit during the growing season, he would have them hop in his red Chevy pickup and take them out to the field to give them a ride in the big green machine. If they were lucky, he would also show them how much "snort" the Chevy had by "putting the hammer down" on Highway 13.

Eddie loved his family and would do anything for them. He would often take them under his wing and teach them everything about life, from farming and business to caring for one another. His heart was as big as a 9610-Series combine.

Eddie was a devout Christian and lifelong member of St. Luke Lutheran Church. It was important to him that his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren attend church services and Sunday school regularly.

Eddie is survived by his wife Betty; his children, Karen (Lyle) Bettenhausen of Bismarck, Cindy Raile of Fargo, Lloyd (Lila) Raile of Wishek, Rose (Buck) Beckholt of Denver, CO, Jerome (Shirley) Raile of Wishek, & Vanessa Raile of Mandan; his brothers and sisters, Lawrence (Shirley) Raile of Piedmont, SD, Frances Ruff of Fargo, Charlene (Hank) Beauman of Billings, MT, Jim (Sharon) Raile of Wishek, Vernon (Jane) Raile of Naples, FL, Sherwin (Pam) Raile of Beulah; 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, brother Jacob, and brother-in-law Delmar Ruff.