September
10,
1938
10,
1938
October
27,
2023
27,
2023
Raymond Lloyd Forrer Jr passed away peacefully at home on Friday October 27th. Ray was born September 10, 1938 in Leland Illinois to Raymond Lloyd Forrer Sr. and Grace Amelia Butler Forrer. Ray graduated from Waterman High school then met Coravaline Mae Todd at Dream Lanes Bowling in Waterman Illinois. They married on April 14, 1957 in Paw Paw Township. Ray and Cora moved to Somonauk in 1963 and lived many years in their home until her passing on April 24th,2016.
Ray leaves behind his children Lucinda (Bart) Higdon, Khristina Vahl, Raymond Lloyd Forrer Ill also known as Buddy, and Karen (Frank) DeVries. 13 Grandchildren, 22 Great grandchildren and 3 great- great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son in law Lonny Vahl, daughter in law Dawn Forrer, Grandson Michael Ray Vahl and a great -great granddaughter Harmony Landsteiner.
Ray was a member of The Waterman Grange, the Sandwich Early Day Engine Club, and the Bureau Valley Engine Club where along with his children, he displayed his antique hit and miss engines and helped other engine enthusiasts repair and learn about the history of antique machinery. Ray started bowling in Waterman where he met Cora and they bowled there for many years until they started bowling mixed league in Plano, Illinois for almost forty-four years followed by bowling men's league at Idle Hour Lanes with his family until 2018.
When his daughter Cindy was born, Ray worked as a milk man delivering milk. His kids all joke that Cindy was the milk man's baby. Ray retired from Caterpillar as a Repair Technician on the shipping floor in Aurora after 30 years in 1990, only four months before his youngest daughter Karen graduated high school. In his retirement, he worked for Jim’s Body Shop in Somonauk and loved to go down and hang out with the shop guys. His son Raymond (Buddy) was his right-hand man and the two of them were always talking about Engines and repairing anything and everything. Ray loved to work on family history with his children Buddy and Khris and loved to tell stories about growing up working on the farm.
Ray always said he didn't have a favorite child. They were all his favorite when they were with him. To our family this man was a solid foundation and man of few words, but we always knew he was a phone call away to help or answer any of life's questions. We have honestly been blessed to call this man our father, grandfather, great grandfather and great-great-grandfather.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2023 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am at Turner-Eighner Funeral Home located at 13160 W. Rt 34, Somonauk, IL. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 am at the funeral home with Rev. Theodore Engelsdorfer officiating. Burial will be on Sunday, November 19, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at Johnson Grove Cemetery on Shabbona Grove Rd. in Waterman, IL 60556. Memorials may be directed to Open Door or to the charity of the donor’s choice. For more information or to sign the online guest book, go to www.EighnerFuneralHomes.com
Turner-Eighner Funeral Home
13160 Rt. 34 W. ~ PO Box 404
Somonauk, IL 60552
815-498-2363
Ray leaves behind his children Lucinda (Bart) Higdon, Khristina Vahl, Raymond Lloyd Forrer Ill also known as Buddy, and Karen (Frank) DeVries. 13 Grandchildren, 22 Great grandchildren and 3 great- great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son in law Lonny Vahl, daughter in law Dawn Forrer, Grandson Michael Ray Vahl and a great -great granddaughter Harmony Landsteiner.
Ray was a member of The Waterman Grange, the Sandwich Early Day Engine Club, and the Bureau Valley Engine Club where along with his children, he displayed his antique hit and miss engines and helped other engine enthusiasts repair and learn about the history of antique machinery. Ray started bowling in Waterman where he met Cora and they bowled there for many years until they started bowling mixed league in Plano, Illinois for almost forty-four years followed by bowling men's league at Idle Hour Lanes with his family until 2018.
When his daughter Cindy was born, Ray worked as a milk man delivering milk. His kids all joke that Cindy was the milk man's baby. Ray retired from Caterpillar as a Repair Technician on the shipping floor in Aurora after 30 years in 1990, only four months before his youngest daughter Karen graduated high school. In his retirement, he worked for Jim’s Body Shop in Somonauk and loved to go down and hang out with the shop guys. His son Raymond (Buddy) was his right-hand man and the two of them were always talking about Engines and repairing anything and everything. Ray loved to work on family history with his children Buddy and Khris and loved to tell stories about growing up working on the farm.
Ray always said he didn't have a favorite child. They were all his favorite when they were with him. To our family this man was a solid foundation and man of few words, but we always knew he was a phone call away to help or answer any of life's questions. We have honestly been blessed to call this man our father, grandfather, great grandfather and great-great-grandfather.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2023 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am at Turner-Eighner Funeral Home located at 13160 W. Rt 34, Somonauk, IL. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 am at the funeral home with Rev. Theodore Engelsdorfer officiating. Burial will be on Sunday, November 19, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at Johnson Grove Cemetery on Shabbona Grove Rd. in Waterman, IL 60556. Memorials may be directed to Open Door or to the charity of the donor’s choice. For more information or to sign the online guest book, go to www.EighnerFuneralHomes.com
Turner-Eighner Funeral Home
13160 Rt. 34 W. ~ PO Box 404
Somonauk, IL 60552
815-498-2363
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