Raymond A. Haugsdal died on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, surrounded by the love of his family at the Lake Mills Care Center in Lake Mills.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Emmons Lutheran Church with the Rev. Christopher W. Martin officiating.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Mittelstadt Funeral Home, 902 E. Main St. in Lake Mills, and again one hour prior to the service at the church.

His body will be cremated after the funeral service and inurnment will take place at a later date in Oak Lawn Cemetery in Emmons.

Raymond Albert Haugsdal was born at home on the south side of Bear Lake on March 24, 1929, to Johanna Hope Haugsdal and Ole Haugsdal. Ray was a lifelong member of Emmons Lutheran Church in Emmons.

His first nine years were spent by Bear Lake where he developed his love for hunting and the outdoors. Ray attended grade school at the Bear Lake country school and later attended the country school south of Emmons. He then attended Emmons High School, where he enjoyed playing football and basketball.

At a football game, Ray noticed a pretty Kiester cheerleader, Audrey Larson, who became the love of his life. On Oct. 12, 1947, Audrey’s 19th birthday, Ray and Audrey were married on the Larson farm in Sharp’s Corner. They eventually made their home on the Haugsdal family farm, south of Emmons. They had five children born to their marriage: Teresa Ann, Susan Rae, Bruce Allan, Kathleen Kay and Craig Larson.

Farming was a perfect fit for Ray and Audrey, where Ray could enjoy working with his family, the outdoors and being independent. He was happiest when all the kids where working alongside him and this joy was mutual! Of course, a day out hunting was even better. But whether it was hard work or tracking a fox across the Silver Lake landscape, Dad made it all fun.

Ray traveled to Canada and out west for many hunting trips that included moose, bear, elk, mule deer and antelope. He made several trips to eastern Iowa with his grandsons hunting wild turkey. And last, but not least, the local hunting for deer, coyote, fox, raccoon, ducks and geese were family traditions that still continues!

Ray and Audrey traveled to California, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Norway, Sweden and Denmark where they visited and shared special time with family.

Ray and Audrey accompanied the Rev. Clifford Paulson and the Emmons Luther League Youth to the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming.

Ray’s children, will be forever grateful for his strong faith and love of life, work, nature and most of all his family, that he passed on to them and their children and their children — may God bless his memory!

Ray is survived by his loving wife, Audrey, of Lake Mills; sister, Clarine Bremer of Eugene, Ore.; children Teresa Brua of Lebanon, Ore., Bruce (Maureen) Haugsdal of Albert Lea, Kathleen (Larry) Vold of Joice, Iowa, and Craig (Cindy) Haugsdal of Northwood; grandchildren Cory (Brenda) Brua of Lake Mills, Nicole (Russ) Behrens of Grinnell, Iowa, Sara (Lance) Fredericksen of Wallingford, Iowa, Amy (Scott) Boettcher of Stewartville, Ryan (Renee) Haugsdal of Albert Lea, Peter Vold of Oregon, Wis., Anna (Jason) Calcote, Minneapolis, Michael (Jaclyn) Haugsdal, Coralville, Iowa, and Kari Haugsdal and Jerod Osheim of Northwood; great-grandchildren include Cole, Danielle and Hayden Brua, Hannah and Claire Behrens, Madigan and Lydia Fredericksen, Bo and Blake Boettcher and Addyson and Garrett Haugsdal. There are also four new Haugsdal babies on the way! Many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends loved him as well.

Ray was preceded in death by parents Johanna and Ole Haugsdal; sisters Alma Hulegaard and Beulah Haugsdal; daughter, Susan Rae Haugsdal; and granddaughter Dana Patrice Haugsdal.

The family can be contacted with online condolences at www.mittelstadtfuneralhome.com. Mittelstadt Funeral Home can be reached at 641-592-0221.