Ray enjoyed driving his tractor and spending time with his family on his farm in the Geneva Lake’s area, but he also loved the remoteness of Lake Superior, and travels with his wife, Dianna to Ireland, Mexico, Hawaii, and Turkey. Leading an active and adventurous life, Raymond E. Woss, 79, of Williams Bay, WI, died at Vintage on the Ponds in Delavan, WI on October 12, 2023.
He was born in Chicago, IL in 1944 to Irene (Raduli) and Raymond L. Woss while his father was deployed for WWII in Europe. Ray was raised in the Chicagoland area with his grandparents nearby and always with a family dog. Beginning work at an early age he spent his summers as a lifeguard and working at the local drive-in theatre. Ray attended Notre Dame High School in Niles, IL before heading off to college where he would meet his wife Dianna Tate at Western Illinois University.
Married August 1967 in Peoria, IL they moved to Elkhart Lake, WI where Ray earned his B.S in Economics and Business from Lakeland College, Sheboygan, WI — ultimately finding their life-time home in 1973 and moved their two children (Christa and Andy) to a ‘fixer-upper’ on Theatre Road in Williams Bay, WI. Ray’s career as an industrial engineer spanned a variety of companies from Alberto Culver to A.O. Smith Harvestore but it was his time at Waukesha Fluid Handling that took him to Mexico where he was able to explore beaches in a new country. Never one to sit still, Ray found time with the support of his father and wife to remodel their fixer upper and farm the 80 acres they built up. Even after retiring in 2010, Ray started a part-time job with H & R Block during tax season. Doing this provided Ray and Dianna the chance to enjoy memorable trips in some of their favorite places like Hawaii, San Diego, Huatulco, Mexico and of course, their land in the UP (Upper Peninsula of MI) on Lake Superior. When at home they loved to explore the numerous bicycle and cross-country ski trails across their home state.
Ray had an entertaining and spirited personality that naturally allowed him to develop lifelong friends. Keeping relationships from high school, college, and his work he always liked meeting new people through his daily routines and staying connected to those he knew.
Ray’s passion was spending time outdoors in all seasons. From gardening in the spring and summer to skiing in the winter months when he was a volunteer ski patrol member. This allowed the family time together for winter skiing in Wisconsin and Michigan.
Ray loved his land on Theatre Road, but he especially cherished the time with his grandchildren and watching them (James, Nicholas, Alia, and Scott) grow up and enjoy the property he had worked so hard to build up. Always looking for a chance to hop on his tractor and cut the grass, he eventually turned those reins over to his next generation so they too could learn to care for the farm. That same spirit of living and farming in southern Wisconsin afforded Ray the special occasion of celebrating his granddaughter Alia’s wedding this past summer on the land he loved.
Ray was preceded in death by his mother, Irene R., and father, Raymond L., and is survived by his wife Dianna, daughter Christa (Jeff Blair) Woss and son Andy (Allison) Woss along with his four grandchildren (James Woss, Nicholas Woss, Alia (Mason) Meiners and Scott Blair).
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, October 20, 2023 at St. Benedict Catholic Church, 137 Dewey Avenue in Fontana. Visitation will be held from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service on Friday at the church. Burial will take place at East Delavan Union Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations may be made to the Nature Conservancy or Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy.
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