Raymond Fagen

Raymond Alva Fagen was born on June 17, 1918 in Sacred Heart, Minnesota, the son of Frank and Nelsie Fagen. He was baptized in Maynard in 1918 and confirmed in the Lutheran faith in 1935. He enjoyed rural life with his parents and his brother Holmes. Always surrounded by friends, he enjoyed participating in basketball and football. Ray graduated from high school in Maynard with the class of 1939. On October 9, 1940, Ray was united in marriage to Edna Mae Burns of Granite Falls in the Maynard Lutheran parsonage by Rev. Erickson. In 1943 Ray joined the Army and was shipped to England on January 26, 1944 as a member of the Army's 4th Infantry Division known as the Ivy Division spending four months of training at Slapton Sands near Devon practicing amphibious techniques and rehearsing for D-Day. He participated in the June 6, 1944 D-Day Normandy Invasion landing on Utah Beach in Manche, France. During the last week of August of 1944 Ray participated in the Liberation of Paris. In early November of 1944 the 4th moved into the Huertgen Forest, and then moved through the Ardenns into Bastogne, Belgium where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Ray was injured in Belgium and received the Purple Heart. After returning from WWII, Ray purchased his father's livestock trucking business, Fagen Trucking and settled back into life with his wife in Maynard, Minnesota. Daughter Sharon and son Ron were born. Ray was an active member of Maynard Lutheran Church, Maynard American Legion, Lion's Club, a local Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) chapter, and Pilot's Club. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Ray enjoyed introducing aviation to people by giving airplane rides wherever he went. Ray was thrilled to witness all four grandchildren in solo flight. Surviving family include his wife Edna of Granite Falls, his children, Sharon (& Ron) Howard of Prior Lake, Minnesota and Ron (& Diane) Fagen of Granite Falls. Grandchildren are Timothy (& Angela) Howard of Shakopee, Minnesota, Aaron (& Traci) Fagen of Granite Falls, Evan (& Melissa) Fagen of Granite Falls, and Christopher (& Kasandra) Howard of Granite Falls. Great-grandchildren are Ethan and Lauren Fagen, Jake and Brody Howard and Connor, Addison and Gunnar Fagen. Two surviving brothers-in-law, Earl (& Shirley) Burns of Mobridge, South Dakota and George Burns of Morristown, South Dakota. Ray was preceded in death by his parents and his brother.