Raymond E. Casper

Casper, Raymond E. Raymond E. Casper, age 89, passed away April 19, 2023. Ray was born in South Bend, Indiana on May 5, 1933, the son of the late Clifford and Gertrude Casper. He graduated from John Adams High School in South Bend, Indiana in 1952. He was drafted into the US Army in 1953, where he served in the Korean War for two years. He was honorably discharged in 1955 and released to Army Reserves. He lived in Indiana for a time and worked for the telephone company. Ray was a man of many talents and worked many different jobs over the course of his life before finally settling into Vans Furniture, where he worked as a Service Technician and then the Service Manager for many years until Art Van Furniture took over. He then worked as a Service Technician for Art Van Furniture until he retired in 1998. After retiring from Art Van Furniture, he opened and operated his own furniture repair and upholstery business, The Furniture Doctor. He was one of the best and was very proud of his work and did his work with much care and qualityhe was a mentor and teacher to many. Ray was an avid NASCAR lover, his favorite being Dale Earnhardt. He liked to watch and go to the NASCAR race and had a large collection of model race cars that he put together himself and proudly displayed in his home. He loved to play cards, especially Cribbage, and taught many family members how to play. Family was very important to Ray. He loved his grandchildren and loved spending time with them and going to sports events and other functions. He really liked to go to the casino with his wife, Donna, and other friends and family. They had many card parties as well and loved to entertain. Ray lived most of his life in Portage, Michigan where he met and married Donna Lance Carter, who preceded him in death in 2016. He was also preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Jack Casper. He is survived by one sister, Midge Anderson of Georgia; one daughter, Dorri (Terry) Kahl of Gobles; one step-son, Mike (Tami) Ziegler of Portage; three step-daughters, Rebecca Lance of Florida, Billi (Bobby) Brooks of Kalamazoo, and Patricia (Tommy) Stafford of Indiana; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. A funeral service will be held Friday, April 28, 2023 at 1:00pm at Langeland Family Funeral Homes Burial & Cremation Services, 411 E Centre Ave, Portage, MI 49002, where family will greet friends from 12:00pm until the time of the service. Interment will follow in Mt. Ever-Rest Memorial Park South. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ray's memory may be made to a charity of your choice. To share a memory or leave a condolence for the family, visit https://www.langelands.com.