Raymond "Ray" Elwood Christian

Ray Christian, Long-time Niobrara Rancher, Dies; Funeral Held Sun.

Funeral service for Ray Christian, 81, a long-time Niobrara County rancher, was held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Peet Chapel. Mr. Christian died Friday after a short illness in Crawford, Neb.

The service was conducted by the Rev. Robert Boutwell with Mrs. J. P. Watson as organist, Mark Lohr, soloist, sang "How Great Thou Art" and "I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary."

Casket bearers were Walter Allard, Ted Lohr, Robert Phipps, Rocky Phipps, Gerald Bardo and Ernest Hales with burial in the family plot in the Lusk Cemetery.

Raymond Elwood Christian was born July 8, 1892, at Kirtley. He was the eighth of thirteen children of Chris and Sara Pace Christian.

Mr. Christian grew up in the Kirtley community and worked on the family ranch and other ranches in eastern Wyoming.

For several years he leased and operated a ranch on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. During World War I he served in the United States Army. After the war he went into the ranching business with his father, later acquiring the ranch and operating it himself.

Mr. Christian married Lillian Lovelace on July 7, 1925, at Windsor, Mo. They lived on the family ranch until 1941 when they moved to Lusk, but he continued to operate the ranch until 1964.

After the death of his wife in 1973 he moved to the Ponderosa Villa in Crawford.

Mr. Christian was a member of the Congregational Church. He was also a member of the Stock Growers Association, the Lusk Lions Club and the American Legion.

Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Dale (Rae Ann) Brooks of Idaho Falls, Idaho; a son, Dan Christian of Laramie and a sister, Mrs. Jack (Freda) Eshelman of Whittier, Calif. He has four grandsons and one granddaughter.

His wife, parents, three brothers and eight sisters died previously.

Out-of-town relatives attending the service were Andy Hansen of Newcastle; Oliver Reynolds, Chadron; Rodney Phipps of Glenrock; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Fisher, Hot Springs, S. D. ; Mrs. Dale Brooks; Mr. and Mrs. Dan Christian and sons.

Memorials may be made to the Niobrara Nursing Home Fund at either Lusk State or Stockmans National Bank.

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