Ray R. Lockhart, 91, of Reinbeck, passed away on Friday, September 27, 2013 at the Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, October 2nd at 10:30 A.M. at the St. Gabriel Catholic Church in rural Reinbeck. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 1st from 5:30 to 6:30 P.M. at the French-Hand Funeral Home in Reinbeck. Burial will take place at the Reinbeck Cemetery.
Ray was born on April 10, 1922 in Grundy County, Iowa, the son of Earl & Effie (Yohn) Lockhart. He grew up in Reinbeck, graduating from the Reinbeck High School in 1941. He joined the United States Marines shortly after high school and honorably served his country in the Pacific Theater, where he was a radar operator on Okinawa in 1945.
He met Margaret Cavanaugh in 1945. The two began dating and were later married on October 19, 1946. The couple welcomed three children into their family. Ray & Margaret moved to a farm south of Reinbeck after they were married and later moved to town. Ray worked for several years at Rath Packing in Waterloo, where he retired in 1984. Ray also took care of the Reinbeck Cemetery for many years.
Ray was a member of the St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Reinbeck and was a member of the Reinbeck American Legion. He loved playing cards and was an avid sports fan.
He is survived by his children Barb (Jack) Kirkpatrick of Waterloo & Rick (Dee) Lockhart of Reinbeck; grandchildren Eric (Kari) Canakes and Jennifer, Melissa & Ryan (Keisha) Lockhart; great-grandson Tylor Canakes. Ray was preceded in death by his wife Margaret; daughter Vicki Freeman; brother Lee Lockhart and sisters Harriet Parkhouse & Grace Boldt.