Randy J Raven

Randy Raven, age 65, passed away suddenly on November 14, 2023, in St. Petersburg, Florida.

He is survived by his wife of almost 9 years, Isabell Kendl; sister, Cathy Raven (Charles) Epperly; brothers, Richard Raven and Michael (Antje) Spade; along with niece, Caryn (Brandon) Brynwood, nephew, Daniel Spade, and grand nephew, Cody Brynwood. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jeanne Griffith Raven Spade and Leonard L. Spade.



Randy was born on June 12, 1958 in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from McPherson Elementary School and then from Lane Technical High School in 1976. He joined the United States Air Force out of high school and was stationed at Rapid City, South Dakota, Albuquerque, New Mexico and did a tour in Ankara, Turkey.

When he lived in Illinois he worked as a lifeguard at Foster Avenue Beach for several summers. While living in Long Beach, California he attended Bellflower Brethren Church where he became a youth pastor, and was a campus safety advisor for the Bellflower Junior High School. Randy was on staff for many years at Camp Grow, in Green Lake, Wisconsin and enjoyed being one of the "Pier Boys" at Camp Grow. After returning to Illinois, he was a supervisor at Lydia Home working with the youth there. He also worked at the Skokie Public Library for security, in the sales department at Grainger, and in the sales department at Woodstock Harley Davidson. After moving to Florida, he became a special education paraprofessional until he recently retired.

Randy loved spending time swimming in his pool, doing yard work, spending time with friends, and playing with his many pets: Ralph, when he lived in California; and Harlee, Fergie, and Wrigley in Illinois and Florida. He was a Cubs fan and loved riding his Harley motorcycle with his wife all over the country. He cared deeply for his family and friends, and will be missed by all.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 15, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at North Shore Baptist Church, 5244 N. Lakewood Ave. Chicago, IL 60640. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to Lydia Home Chicago.