Raymond Louis McInerney

1930 - 2022

Raymond Louis McInerney
Born: August 25, 1930
Died: September 6, 2022
Well, to start off with… Ray and Ruth are reunited at long last!
Raymond McInerney passed peacefully on September 6, 2022 shortly after his 92nd birthday.
He was born on a farm south of Earlville, IL to Ruth (Owens) & Louis McInerney on August 25, 1930. His older brother James and he attended school in Earlville until the family moved to the farm in Rollo in 1945. His adult responsibilities started early in life after his father was injured in a car accident and Ray had to take on his dad's work on the farm. He and his father also raised cattle, hogs and chickens.
He attended Rollo High School and graduated in 1948. In high school, he played baseball and basketball but his favorite "sport" was honed in the pool hall. His talent as a great pool player lasted for life! Like many young men raised on a farm he liked to hunt and fish. Rabbits and pheasant were his favorites and he loved to fish for catfish in the Indian Creek that ran through their farm.
It was in Rollo where he met the love of his life, Ruth Nolan and they were married July 30, 1949. They moved to Prophetstown. He worked in the local hardware store while Ruth taught school. They moved back to the farm a year later where they would remain and welcome the births of their children, Michael and Kimberly.
Ray worked as a janitor at the Rollo School when he wasn't farming with his dad. He worked second shift at Marathon in Earlville until the early 60's when he left to farm full time.
He was a true "salt of the Earth" man, one that personified good, honest hard work. He worked the land and bore the fruits of his labor. He and Ruth maintained a farmstead that will forever feel like Home to many. Any given morning would find neighboring farmers at the welcoming kitchen table for one more cup of egg coffee before starting their work day. If they were lucky, one of them would have already been to a local coffee shop to bring back the gossip of the day.
Ray's love of dancing began with tap dancing lessons he took as a child in Earlville. He and Ruth were known to rev up a party by dancing wherever they were. And, if there was no party, they had one! Their love of life shown from the sparkle in their eyes. They loved to go on trail rides as their love for horses was second only to their dogs. Golf, Euchre and snowmobiling with friends from Earlville and Shabbona kept them busy.
In the mid Seventies, he reopened the gravel pit and supplied gravel for the roads in the township and others. He was proud to say that parts of Interstate 39 had Mc's Sand & Gravel. Ray served as Paw Paw Township Road Commissioner for fourteen years. Many a winter night, he was out plowing snow for hours to ensure the safety of the local community. And, by golly, one better not ignore the weight limit for the gravel roads!!! His son, Mike, joined him in the gravel business, farming and they added hogs to their ventures.
Ray attended St Theresa parish for many years. He and Ruth volunteered to sponsor the Rollo Congregational Church's Pilgrim Fellowship with Judy & Harold Svendsen for several years. He was active in the Leland Lions Club and served in many different offices. Up to the end, he would still tell the story of the farmer who made sure to buy tickets for the Annual Dance because his wife loved it so much.
After retiring from farming and the township, he kept busy planting gardens for Ruth that just got bigger and bigger. Many local charities benefited from the sale of the vegetables. After a long hot day, he and Ruth would head down to the fishing hole to see what they could catch for supper. He turned the farrowing house into his woodworking shop where he spent hours turning his hand at his wood creations. He and Ruth took many trips to visit friends and family across the country and beyond. He loved going out into the Arizona deserts camping with "the boys." Ray and Ruth enjoyed seeing new places. There was ALWAYS a story…. The best being when they took a road they thought would take them through Yellowstone National Park to the other side only to discover they had to turn around and drive all the way back because the road ended!
Ray was preceded in death by his wife Ruth, his father, mother, and brother, James. He is survived by his son, Michael and Sherry (Snyder) McInerney (Rollo), his daughter, Kimberly McInerney (Carlsbad, CA), grandchildren Kelley (Davis) and Jared Stein-Roe (Carlsbad, CA), Nolan Davis (Oceanside, CA), Sean McInerney (Chicago, IL), Willis and Holly (Gregg) McInerney (Sycamore, IL) and great-grandchildren Andrew and Madison Stein-Roe and Henry and Florence McInerney.
Ray and Ruth provided a shining example of a successful marriage, built on love and dedication. It never ceases to amaze that they were married for more than 71 loving, long years. In addition to being a devoted husband, he was a loving father and a friend to most everyone he met. He was quick with a smile, a joke or a self-deprecating remark. He will be deeply missed and celebrated for a life well lived!
Please join family and friends October 15, 2022, 11:00 a.m. at the Rollo Congregational United Church of Christ 2471 Weddell Street Rollo, IL to celebrate Ray's Life.
For information, visit www.AndersonFuneralHomeLtd.com or call 815-756-1022.