Raymond Joseph Endres

Raymond Joseph Endres

Raymond Joseph Endres, age 85, died of complications from Parkinson's disease at the North Avenue Retreat in Fair Oaks, Calif., on Saturday, August 14, 2010.

Born on September 7, 1924, in Faribault, Minn., to Raymond George Endres and Marie E. Savoie Endres, he earned a bachelor's degree in education from St. John's University, Collegeville, Minn., in 1949; a master's degree in education from Montana State University, Billings in 1951; and a doctorate in education from the University of Oregon, Eugene, in 1961.

Ray enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve on December 12, 1942, and entered the Naval Air Training program. He later recalled buzzing Main Street in his hometown of Faribault, Minn., while in military flight school at Mankato State College, Mankato, Minn. When the naval air program was halted in August, 1944, he enlisted in the Marines. He was assigned to the 6th Marine Division on Okinawa, a division that suffered a high percentage of casualties and was subsequently decorated with the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest award possible, for its heroism as a unit on Okinawa. Ray was honorably discharged from the service on May 5, 1946.

On August 9, 1951, he married Bonnie Joy Cattnach, who preceded him in death on March 18, 1998, after 46 years of marriage.

He taught seventh grade at Lincoln Junior High School in Billings, Mont. from 1951-1953, then taught sixth grade at EMC Lab School in Montana from 1953-1958. He was a teaching fellow at the University of Oregon, from 1958-1960, and then joined Sacramento State College in 1960, as assistant professor, where he also directed the EPDA Institute for inner city teachers in 1964. In 1965, he became associate professor at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), Bowling Green, Ohio, where he also directed the Upward Bound Program from 1966-1968, and the NDEA Institutes for history teachers from 1968-1970. He was appointed dean of summer session and extension at BGSU in 1970. In 1973, he returned to Sacramento State University as dean of continuing education and professor of education, where he was also involved in the Sister Cities Council of Sacramento program with Matsuyama, Japan. He was director of student teaching at his retirement in 1988.

Ray was an active member of local Catholic churches including Saint Aloysius, in Bowling Green, Ohio; Our Lady of the Assumption, in Carmichael, Calif.; and Our Lady of the Mountain, in Ashland, Ore.

Ray will be especially remembered for his dry sense of humor and his love of music. He played cornet in high school bands to earn extra money and studied trumpet with world renowned trumpet teacher James Stamp, first trumpet of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. He was called upon to bugle reveille and other calls during flight training school in his military years. He had a beautiful singing voice and often led the congregation in hymns during Mass.

Survivors include his brother, Richard Endres, of Brainerd, Minn.; children, David J. Endres, of Wilton, Calif., Anna M. Meyer, of Antelope, Calif., Delena E. Roth, of Berkeley Heights, N.J., Daniel S. Endres, of Wilton, Calif., Rebecca R. Endres, of Fair Oaks, Calif., and Donald R. Endres, of Carmichael, Calif.; 13 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Relatives and friends are welcome for a public viewing from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and a rosary service at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, August 23, 2010, at Litwiller-Simonsen Funeral Home, 1811 Ashland St., Ashland, Ore. A funeral mass will be offered at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 24, 2010, at Our Lady of the Mountain Catholic Church, 987 Hillview Drive, Ashland, Ore. Burial will be at Eagle Point National Cemetery, 2763 Riley Road, Eagle Point, Ore. at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 24, 2010.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, www.michaeljfox.org, Church Street Station, P.O. Box 780, New York, NY 10008.

Thanks to Nora Berci of the North Avenue Retreat and her caretakers, Valentin and Elana Jurjeu, as well as Dr. Kenneth Corbin and Dr. Peter Skaff from the Mercy Medical Group, for their excellent care.