Arnold “Ray” Raymond Heimsness, 91 of Austin, died at Austin Medical Center Monday afternoon, Oct. 25, 2010.

He was born July 10, 1919 to Julius and Clara (Hellickson) Heimsness in Ostrander. Ray’s family spent the early years in the Spring Valley-Ostrander area where Ray attended country school before moving to Austin. In 1936 he married Helen Chase in Iowa. They had two sons and were later divorced. Ray joined the Navy on May 9, 1944. He served the entire time on the USS North Carolina in the South Pacific during World War II. A Machinist Mate in the Navy, he made Third Class before his honorable discharge on Jan. 29, 1946. Returning to Austin, Ray resumed his profession as a brick layer and married Delores Wilson on June 4, 1947. They opened Heimsness Brothers Masonry with his brother, Virgil and was later joined by his sons: Raymond, Julian and Terry in Heimsness Masonry. A member of the Bricklayers’ Union, Ray built many homes and did the masonry work for churches and schools including the Terp Ballroom, Grace Lutheran Church, St. Edward’s Catholic Church and Trimble’s Honda. Ray retired in the 1980’s. A member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church, the Moose, Eagles, VFW and American Legion, he also liked gardening, trimming trees, cutting wood and watching the Twins and the Vikings.

He is survived by his wife, Delores of Austin; three sons: Raymond (Cecelia) Heimsness of Taylorville, IL; Julian (Barbara) Heimsness of Huntsville, AL; Terry (Mary Ann) Heimsness of Austin; two daughters: Vickie Mollberg of Baudette; Susan (Robert) Petersen of Austin; 15 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and 21 great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Helen; two brothers: Virgil and Lloyal; five sisters: Mae Baarsch, Ethel Cafourek, Clarice Perkins, Esther McCourt and Hazel Greenman; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and grandson, Julian Vincent Heimsness II.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church with Rev. Ron Barnett officiating. Visitation is from 5-8:00 p.m., Friday at Worlein Funeral Home in Austin and at the church one hour prior to the service. Interment is at Grandview Cemetery with military rites by American Legion Post 91 and VFW Post 1216. Memorials are preferred to St. Olaf Lutheran Church, any Veteran’s organization or Red Cross. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com