Mahnomen - John M. "Jack" Geray, 92, died Sunday, May 2, 1999 at the Mahnomen Health Center Nursing Home in Mahnomen.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 6 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Beaulieu. Burial will be in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery.
Visitation will be held today (Wednesday, May 5) from 4 to 8 p.m. at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Mahnomen with a 7 p.m. prayer service and 7:30 p.m. Knights of Columbus rosary. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to services at the church on Thursday. The Burnside Funeral Home of Mahnomen is in charge of the arrangements.
John Michael Geray was born on September 29, 1906 at Fairfax, the son of Anton and Rosa (Huelskamp) Geray. At the age of 10 he moved with his family to Bejou, and a year later they moved to a farm near Beaulieu. Jack attended the Flowing Well Country School, Mahnomen High School and St. John's High School in Collegeville.
Following high school he worked at a lumber mill near Mahnomen and later for Northern States Power Company in Grand Forks, ND for five years. He returned to Beaulieu where he purchased his father's farm and farmed until 1976 when he moved to Mahnomen. He continued to farm with his son, Donald, until four years ago when he entered the Mahnomen Health Center Nursing Home. During the time that Jack and Donald farmed, they cut firewood together for a number of years.
Jack enjoyed hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, auction sales, cards and especially spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Beaulieu, an honorary life member of the Mahnomen Knights of Columbus and was a former member of the Mahnomen Rod & Gun Club. He served on a number of boards, including the Flowing Well School, Beaulieu township, Mahnomen Farmers Coop, Mahnomen Creamery and the North Star Dairy board in Detroit Lakes.
Jack is survived by three daughters, Marlys (James) Johnson of Mahnomen, Marion (Vernon) Kappes of Thief River Falls and Phyllis (Duane) Nelson of Carson City, NV; one son, Duane (fiance Kathryn Walton) of Mahnomen; 12 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Angeline in 1996; one daughter, Paulette; one granddaughter, Marie; five brothers and four sisters. A00003B1999MY05