Raymond J. Gasperi
If you want to send some info, your ore than welcome to for sure, as I will do what I can to get people there
July 05, 1920 – December 14, 2011
Des Moines and formerly of Keomah Village, Oskaloosa, Iowa
Visitation: will begin at 10 a.m., Friday morning, December 16, 2011 at Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel. The family will be present from 2 – 4 p.m. to greet visitors.
Funeral Service: 10:30 a.m., Saturday morning, December 17, 2011 at First Presbyterian Church with Reverend Dr. Dennis Morey officiating.
Interment: Forest Cemetery with Military Honors by the Oskaloosa Honor Guard.
Ray passed away at his home in Des Moines Wednesday afternoon. He was 91 years, 5 months and 9 days of age.
Raymond James Gasperi was born July 5, 1920 in Oskaloosa, Iowa to James C. and Louise A. Krenglmiller Gasperi. He served for two years as a pilot of the B24 Liberator in WWII. He graduated from Iowa State University with a mechanical engineering degree. He married the love of his life, Norma Louise Moore on July 26, 1947 in Thornburg, Iowa. Ray began his engineering career with Shell Oil in Houston, TX. From there, Shell moved Ray and the family to California, New Jersey and Illinois. He worked for Shell Oil until his retirement in 1978. He was involved with the Boy Scouts while living in Texas and California. He was named Kiwanian of the year in 1969 in Lawrence, New Jersey. He returned to Oskaloosa in 1981 and became involved in his community, serving on the landfill commission, belonging to the First Presbyterian Church and Rotary, and enjoying 25 years as mayor of Lake Keomah. Ray was outgoing and never knew a stranger. He loved good food and sharing his love of life with family and friends. He traveled all over the world with his wife Norma of 64 years of marriage. He especially enjoyed going to Austria and Italy to visit his parent’s families. He maintained close relationships with people he met throughout his life, from high school, to flight crew and coworkers. He and Norma opened their home to many visitors from foreign countries. In 2010, Ray was able to go on the Honor Flight to Washington, DC.
Ray’s family includes his wife Norma; his children: Betty (Mike) Sullivan, Gigi (Dan) Vance, Doug Gasperi, and Jane Gasperi, all of Des Moines; grandchildren, Kristi (Cary) Hall, Mary (Joe) South, Emily (Henry) Cifuentes, Jessica (Bill) Friend, Jon Vance and Jeff Gasperi; and great-grandchildren, Aaron, Haley, Enzo and Ali.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Jim; and his siblings, Carl Gasperi and Virginia Van Gorkom.
Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church.
