The funeral for Raymond Kessler, Lehr, ND will be held Monday, August 5, 2013 at 10:30 AM at the First Baptist Church at Wishek, ND. Visitation will be held Sunday from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Dahlstrom Funeral Home at Wishek, ND. Burial will be at the Lehr City Cemetery, Lehr, ND.


Raymond Kessler was born on July 14, 1917 in a sod house on a farm 2 miles west of Lehr, ND. He was the first son born to Jacob and Anna (Will) Kessler. Raymond attended a one room country school through the eighth grade and graduated from Lehr High School in 1936. Raymond attended Ellendale Teachers College for one year and was hired to teach in the one room school he had attended. He experienced the end of the Depression Era by working as a migrant farm worker in Idaho and riding the rail from job to job. He was called to service in 1941 and was honorably discharged after his tour of duty. Raymond married Lorraine Koepplin in 1942. Raymond became a charter member of Klaus-Becker Legion Post #218 of Lehr. He also served on the Lehr School Board during the reorganization of the school districts in North Dakota and the building of the new Lehr Public School in 1963. His adult working life was spent as a farmer and custom combiner. Fishing was one of Raymond's most enjoyable past times in retirement.


Raymond died Wednesday, July 31, 2013 at the Wishek Living Center following a brief illness. He was 96 years old.

Raymond is survived by his three children, Karen (Adam) Boschee, West Fargo, ND; DelRay (Carlotta Jaeger) Kessler, Fargo, ND; Curtis (Daphne Schnabel) Kessler, Lehr, ND; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; two brothers, Harold Kessler, Lodi, CA and Herbert Kessler, Woodland, CA; one sister, Dorothy Oster, Waterville, MA. He was preceded in death by his wife Lorraine, his parents, Jacob and Anna, three sisters, Martha (John) Schoenhals, Clara (Jacob) Schopp and Ida (Jibbo) Schuknecht. The family asks that in lieu of any family memorials, all memorials be donated to Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave. 7th Fl., New York, NY 10001. Share memories and sign online guestbook at www.dahlstromfuneralservice.com. Dahlstrom Funeral Home of Wishek, ND entrusted with arrangements.