Raymond J. Lammers

Lammers, Raymond J. Long-time professor at the University of Minnesota Morris. Born Sept 21, 1926 Hand County, South Dakota, died peacefully at home from natural causes October 31, 2009 in Morris, MN. Raymond graduated from high school in Flandreau, SD and from The College of St Thomas in St Paul with an English major. Soon thereafter he joined the U.S. Army and given his proficiency with languages was assigned to the Army's Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. After completing the program in Chinese (Mandarin), an area of interest he would carry into his academic career, Raymond was assigned to posts in Washington, D.C. then Seoul, Korea with the 501 Comm Recon group. Following his discharge from the Army, Raymond entered graduate school at the University of Minnesota. There he had the good fortune to study under the legendary theater professor Frank M. Whiting. Raymond's graduate career at the University was filled with special opportunities such as being a cast member in the inaugural season of the Minnesota Centennial Showboat in 1958, emceeing U.S.O. shows in the Asian Pacific Rim, and helping host Tyrone Guthrie during his trips to Minneapolis to scout locations for his new American theater. After completing his Ph.D. in 1962 Raymond joined the faculty at the newly created branch of the University in Morris. For the next 33 years, until his retirement in 1995, he was Chair of the Speech and Theater Department on the Morris campus. Among his accomplishments at Morris was working with Ralph Rapson & Associates to build the Humanities and Fine Arts Center completed in 1973. In 1969 he was awarded the Morse-Alumni award for outstanding contributions to undergraduate education at the University of Minnesota. Raymond married Dolores Bowman in Osakis, MN in 1952. She survives him, along with their three children, Mark (Jennifer) of St. Paul, Deidre (Gen) Onishi of Ithaca, NY and Matthew (Elizabeth) of Eden Prairie, and 5 grandchildren. He is preceded in death by a brother, 4 sisters and 2 infant children. Professor Lammers was highly dedicated to his family, his students and the University. Those who knew him will greatly miss his wit, charm and generosity. Memorials are preferred to the University of Minnesota Morris. Services will be held Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 10:30 AM at Assumption Catholic Church in Morris. Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris is in charge of the arrangements. To send condolences to the family, visit our website at www.pedersenfh.com and click on obituaries.