Raymond “Ray” Gollon, 93, went to see his Lord Jesus on Saturday, November 5, 2016.  

Ray died at home with his loving family at his side. Ray was born February 27, 1923 the first-born child of John and Corona (Stephanic) Gollon.  He attended schools in Escanaba, Mich. and Stevens Point. He lived with his family as a young child on the backwaters of the Wisconsin River recalling when the flowage was purposely flooded to create the current Wisconsin River Flowage. The water flooded their home forcing their family to evacuate from the homestead.

Ray married Charlotte Check on August 4, 1945 at St. Peter Catholic Church. Ray always said he was the luckiest man to be married to Charlotte. Together they celebrated over 58 years of marriage. Charlotte preceded Ray in death on April 14, 2004.

Ray was extremely hard working and very ambitious working multiple jobs including military defense projects in Washington, ore docks in Michigan and miscellaneous jobs in Wisconsin including a milk route, the logging industry guiding logs down the river, the Studebaker auto plant in Kenosha, construction on the DuBay dam and the paper mill before finding his true calling in the live bait industry.

His lifelong passion of harvesting wild bait led him to establish Ray’s Live Bait which included a wholesale bait business and a retail bait shop. With his outstanding determination, he continued to minnow until his late eighties.

For a hobby, he went into housing to buy and refurbish homes. He was known as being a very kind and generous landlord. Ray enjoyed traveling, fishing, camping, snowmobiling, polka dancing, church picnics and frequently dining at local restaurants. He will be remembered for his beautiful smile, kindness, generosity and love of life and his family.  Ray was a devote Catholic and member of St. Peter Catholic Church and the Loyal order of the Moose.

He is survived by his two daughters: Charlene (Bob) Cyran and Renee (the late Gary) Vollert; his granddaughter Shawn (Jon) Dombrowski; three grandsons: Shane (Nikki) Cyran, Michael (Cassandra) and Andrew (Crystal) Vollert. He was blessed with eight great-grandchildren: Matthew, Michael, Jonah, Nathan, Brooke, Alexandria, Airiana and Clayborne. He is further survived by two sisters: Mary Lou (Victor) Maslakow and Adeline (Henry) Kenowski.  Ray was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Charlotte; his son-in-law Gary Vollert and Ray’s siblings: Cecelia, Cecelia Dolores, Patricia, Richard, John and Clifford.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday November 9, 2016, at St. Peter Catholic Church.  Rev. Arul Joseph V. will officiate.  Burial will follow in the Guardian Angel Cemetery. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 9:00 AM until the time of service in the St. Faustina room at St. Peter Church. There will be a Moose ritual at 10:00 AM and a Parish rosary to follow at 10:15 AM. Pisarski Funeral Homes of Stevens Point & Plover are honored to be serving the family.

For online condolences please visit www.pisarskifuneralhome.com