Raphael “Ray” Duren, 83, of Osage, Iowa, died Friday, July 22, 2011, at Mitchell County Regional Health Center-Hospital in Osage.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 28, 2011, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Osage with Father Jack McClure, CPPS officiating. Burial will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery with military honors by Osage American Legion Post 278 and Osage VFW Post 7920. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage with a rosary at 5:30 p.m.

Ray was born Oct. 6, 1927, in Meyer, Iowa, the son of John and Mary (Weber) Duren. The family moved to Stacyville where he attended school and graduated from high school at Visitation Academy in 1944. He joined the Marine Corps at age 17 and served from 1945 until being honorably discharged in 1949. While in the service, he was body guard for Rear Admiral Edward M. Thompson, Vice Admiral F. Sherman, and Vice Admiral B. Bieri. Ray returned home to help his father run the family sawmill and later started his own sawmill. He was united in marriage to Wanda Irene Nauman from LeRoy, Minn., on Jan. 28, 1954, at the Visitation Catholic Church in Stacyville. They had four children, Dan, Cindy, Kathy, and Becky. In 1956, they purchased the Davis Paint store. Ray continued to be involved with the business until his death. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, Osage VFW and Osage American Legion.

Ray is survived by his children, Dan (Nancy) Duren of Albuquerque, N.M., Cindy (Bill) McCoy of Ankeny, Kathy (Kevin) Fox of Orchard, Becky (Mike) Mauer of Osage; seven grandchildren; two sisters, Priscilla Kiefer of Adams, Minn., Olga (John, Jr.) Thurnau of St. Ansgar; five brothers, Eligius (Irene) Duren of Austin, Stephen (Jeanette) Duren of Austin, Otto (Joyce) Duren of Lyle, Minn., Hubert (Barbara) Duren of Arlington, Ill, and John Duren, Jr. of Osage.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Wanda in 1977; two brothers, Gerald and Joseph Duren; and a sister, Madeleine Blaser. Information is available and condolences accepted at www.champion-bucheitfuneralhome.com.