RAY CARL KLING was born August 21, 1921 in a house south of Morristown, with twin brother Roy, to Martin and Clara (Hoffman) Kling. Ray was baptized and confirmed at Christ Lutheran Church in Morristown where he was a lifetime member. He attended school at Keldron. Ray and brothers Roy, Dale, and Marvin, took the families cattle to Sheyenne, ND during the dirty 30's. Roy went home because he didn't like their cooking. They lived in an old wooden grainery with a pot belly stove for about 3 years.


Ray was inducted into the U.S. Army on 9 Nov 42. He was a Technical Sergeant/Platoon Sergeant with Company I 413th Infantry, the Timber Wolf Division. He served in campaigns in Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was wounded from shrapnel and earned the following decorations while serving his country, the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, European African Middle Eastern Service Medal, and a Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster. Following his discharge on 3 Nov 1945, he returned to Thunder Hawk. Ray had a 1946 truck that he used to haul cattle to Sioux City, IA. He also hauled coal, that's how he met Avis. Ray hauled a load of coal to the Heinitz's, while he was unloading his truck, he saw a group of girls watching him out of the house window and said he was going to get himself one of them. The one he ended up with was Avis Lorraine Heinitz. They were married on Christmas Day 1948 at Christ Lutheran Church in Morristown. They then moved south of Thunder Hawk seven miles with bachelor brothers, Marvin and Dale where they farmed and ranched. They raised Purebred Hereford Cattle and grain.


Ray loved to farm, he always liked the changes made in new equipment. He always said, "the only good thing about the good old days is that they are gone". Ray continued to farm until his health began to fail 3 years ago. He was a 4-H Leader for the West River Wranglers for many years and was a member of the Thunder Hawk School Board, the Thunder Hawk Co-op Board for many years, and a highly decorated WWII veteran.


He always had enough work to teach his son's the value of hard work, and to keep them out of trouble.


Ray passed from this life on Saturday, January 28, at his home near Lemmon at the age of 84 years, 5 months, 7 days.


Surviving family members include his wife, Avis; 3 sons and daughters-in-law, Kenneth and Pam Kling, Lemmon, SD; Jerry and Arleen Kling, Morristown, SD; Wayne Kling, Lemmon, SD; 1 daughter, Gwen Morgan, Winnemucca, NV; 10 grandchildren, Kevin, Casey, Cody, Levi and his wife Regan; Tyler, Todd, Zachary and his wife Melissa; Sara, Alix, and Dani; 3 brothers, Marvin Kling, Thunder Hawk, SD; Walter Kling, Axtel, UT; Bernard Kling, Keldron, SD; and numerous nieces and nephews.


He was preceded in death by his parents, 1 son Larry; 5 brothers, Dale, Harold, Roy, Donald, Roger; 3 sisters, Mary in infancy, Emma Storm, and Coral Kouril.


A memorial has been established.