Raymond H. Carstensen, age 95, of Fremont, passed away in his home Wednesday (Sept. 7, 2016).

He was born May 13, 1921 on the farm near Bennington, Nebraska to Carsten and Martha (Thomsen) Carstensen. In his early childhood years, the family moved to a farm near Elkhorn. He received his education in Bennington, Elk City and Elkhorn. He moved again with his family to a farm northwest of Fremont and then to his parents’ acreage northwest of Hooper.

Ray served in the US Army during the WWII years of 1944-45 with training at Camp Robinson in Little Rock, Arkansas, and then was stationed at Fort Robinson in northwest Nebraska as an instructor for the K-9 handlers. In a book, Forever Hero’s by Joyce Winfield, that will be coming out this fall, Ray is 1 of 21 surviving Nebraska WWII veterans to be included. On September 15, 1950, Ray was married to Elaine Sprick in the former Zion Lutheran Church of Hooper. They lived on the farm that Ray rented for approximately 22 years until moving to Fremont in 1972. Ray was employed at Midland Lutheran College from 1968 until retiring in 1987. Ray also did some carpentry work, building cabinets, and making many items for family and friends. He did many carpentry and cabinet projects for Midland College.

He was a member of St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Fremont, and a life member of American Legion Post 18 of Hooper.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Elaine and his 7 sisters.

Survivors: daughter – Laraine and husband Jerry Gutschow, Blair son – Dean and wife Karen Carstensen, Fremont 3 grandchildren

A memorial service will be 10:30 Tuesday (Sept. 13, 2016) at St. Timothy Lutheran Church with Rev. Russell McDowell presiding. There is no visitation. The private committal is in the Hooper Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to St. Timothy Lutheran Church and Fremont Health Hospice.

Online guestbook @ www.ludvigsenmortuary.com

~~~Obituary courtesy of Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska~~~ FindaGrave # 169558658