Raymond Lyle Wilkinson, October 4, 1975 - May 1, 2026
Tribute by Anita Wilkinson
522 days. It has been 522 days since I stood up in this same spot looking out at many of the same faces for our dad’s funeral. And 1,210 days before that since I shared at my mom’s funeral. Those numbers are way too small for my choosing. My regret at my mom’s funeral that I corrected at my dad’s and now I’m going to repeat today is to take a photo so I can look back and be reminded of all your love and support.
There was a time in our mom’s last days, that Raymond and I were meeting with a hospice nurse to go through paperwork and protocol. Raymond had to leave the room for a few minutes. After the nurse left, Raymond asked me “How are you handling all of this so well?” I didn’t feel like I was handling it well at all. And I wasn’t handling anything at that time alone. I replied to him with the answer “Jesus. It is only because of Jesus that I am handling anything.”
The same is true today. The only reason I can stand up here and do another hard thing is because of Jesus.
Raymond was the baby of the family. We are 18 months apart and Christina is only 2 years older than me. We were blessed with a childhood of built-in playmates and a farm full of adventures just waiting for us to find. While dad was at work, mom sent us outside to play. We loved playing in what we called our hideout. It was a ravine in the trees where we threw the junk that we couldn’t burn. Much of our childhood was spent pulling that junk out and using our imagination to set up house. The best summer was when dad created us a homemade zip-line across the ravine. So many happy childhood memories come flooding back to my mind. That sibling connection is something extra special, isn’t it?
The 1989-1990 school year was the only year all three of us were in high school together. Poor Raymond had quite the challenge of making a name for himself. He was not a fan of being thought of as Anita and Christina’s brother. And as you heard from Carey and Ryan, it didn’t take long for his individual personality to shine and teachers and school mates to know and love “Ray.”
The summer of 1992, Raymond and I both worked at the school with a small group of friends, Coach Kochis, and the janitors. We helped move the stuff between Wyoming and Toulon as the school consolidated. We painted the old wooden bleachers at the football field and lot of stuff around the buildings AND goofed around a lot…Coach Kochis was our supervisor, so goofing around was just part of the job. Raymond’s old 19?? Chevy 3-on the tree, truck was a big part of our summer memories that year.
One of those memories is a story that Raymond loved to tell…as he should. It was a miracle that he was alive. How many heard Raymond tell the story of the truck accident, he, Grant and Jim Kinsella were in?
Ryan and I talked and knew that someone needed to tell this story. It was a miracle that they all walked away from that without more than Raymond’s broken arm. You may have seen the photos of the truck folded in half and Raymond standing with his broken arm held out to the side. He was in the hospital for a few days, and had to sleep in the recliner with his arm propped up, but mom also made him go back to work because he could paint with one hand. Our work ethic was instilled in us in many different ways.
One of the things that Raymond worked really hard at during his adult life was to control his alcohol consumption. Sadly it was something that was a big part of his story…..it consumed him at different levels at different times. And no matter how much he worked hard at it, he could not control it on his own. This past July, he started going to a program called Celebrate Recovery. Their mission is to help people find freedom and healing from their hurts, hang-ups and habits through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Because he finally allowed Jesus to help him, he was able to stop drinking. We are so thankful that for the past 9 months we got to have what I call the Real-Raymond back….the sober Raymond. Robin, Christina and I talked about how best to share this part of Raymond’s story. We were so proud of him for getting help and giving up drinking. I am sure that Haden and Hunter are proud of him too. We wanted all of you to share in that with us.
9 months sober.
So Raymond experienced for himself how Jesus is who helps us do hard things. He had tried for years to stop drinking on his own or with the world’s ideas of how to get sober. But it wasn’t until he allowed the Lord to truly work in his life that he was able to stop.
If you have been trying to do your own “hard thing” in your own power and want to know more about Celebrate Recovery and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please come talk to Rick or I. We would love to tell you more!
Let me end with a Bible verse from the book of Romans…
Romans is written by the Apostle Paul to the Jews and gentiles in Rome. In chapter 8, he is explaining salvation is a gift of God’s grace rather than human effort.
Romans 8:38–39
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Service lead by Rick Waller, The Gathering Church
WELCOME
Welcome, Family and friends!
We come together today to remember Raymond Wilkinson - “Ray”
To give thanks for his life, and lean into the hope we have in Jesus!
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There is sadness here - of course there is.
But there’s also gratitude. There are stories, smiles and moments that come rushing back when we think of Ray. And there is a calm, steady confidence that death… does not get the final word!
In the book of John, this is John 11:17 Lazarus has died, and Martha his sister is sad and mad at Jesus - that He was too late to save her brother.
Jesus declares… “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”
And he asks her, “Do you believe this?”
…
In asking this question, He re-focuses her on eternity!
Martha says, “Yes!”
Of course! She knows Jesus, and she believes He is who He says He is!
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And, all glory to God - Ray said yes, too! He believed!
And all who repent and believe in Jesus for their salvation - will be saved!
And will meet again in Heaven!
Let’s pray
Gracious God,
Thank you for the gift of life. Thank You for Ray’s life.
Thank you for the ways he made people smile, for the work he dedicated himself to and for the love he poured into his family and friends.
As we gather today to remember Ray, steady us LORD. Lift our thoughts beyond today. Remind us that your grace holds us, your love surrounds us and your promises are certain!
We ask this all in Jesus’ name. Amen.
OBITUARY - Grant McCauley
HYMN
“Old Rugged Cross” #504 in your hymnals
SCRIPTURE READING - Jordan Lauwerens
John 14:1–3
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Eulogy
When we think about Raymond Wilkinson, it’s not just one thing that comes to mind, it’s a WHOLE LIFE made up of meaningful pieces.
Living here in Wyoming and Stark County and being part of that first graduating class of Stark County High School. Ray was there at the beginning of something that stands still today and is a vital part of this community.
That experience tends to stay with a person.
After finishing his undergraduate degrees at Black Hawk East and Western Illinois University - two very RURAL schools - Ray moved to DOWNTOWN Chicago to get his paralegal degree from Roosevelt University.
That was a significantly different environment with many new challenges and experiences that a young Raymond persevered through.
Many of the pieces of Ray’s life reflect steadiness and commitment. He worked twenty-five years with State Farm in Bloomington where he began as a paralegal and used that expertise in a variety of roles throughout the company. That doesn’t happen by accident.
That reflects consistency and dependability. Showing up and being valuable year after year. Doing things the right way and demonstrating to others how to do the same.
Even in his more recent work with Lowe’s, that same hands-on, problem-solving spirit kept showing up.
And if you knew Ray, you know that wasn’t a NEW skill for him. That was fundamentally PART of who Raymond was!
Ray loved to fix things!
Watching him, you may have thought he was merely “tinkering”. But, that was just the analysis. The part before identifying the root cause and doing the work to get it fixed. To get things working again!
That they would be valuable to OTHERS again.
That instinct - to take things that are bent and broken and get them up and working - that’s something we ALL recognize and appreciate.
I think Ray knew that. He enjoyed serving & being valuable to people.
Ray found joy in simple things, good things. Like fishing, riding his four-wheeler, being outside, working with his hands…
But more than any of that, Ray loved his people!
Ray was a beloved Son, Brother, Cousin, Friend, Uncle, Husband and Father.
To his parents, sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends, Ray was incredibly loyal.
You’ll hear from some of Ray’s friends today and you’ll see how Ray was a significant part of their lives since childhood.
To his wife Robin, Ray was unwavering in his dedication. In fact, though they were married in 2025, Ray and Robin, too, had known each other since they were 16! And how wonderful they were able to start this new chapter together!
Now, Raymond’s sons, Hunter and Haden, they were his most PRECIOUS “people”. When they were born, Ray started walking out his most favorite role: DAD, father to those amazing boys! He loved teaching the boys the same skills that his parents taught him. Things like
Cooking pancakes and his beloved “yeast rolls”!
How to shoot their bb guns and their bows
How to use power tools and drive the tractor
And the boys taught Dad their OWN skills too - the things they learned in their Tae-Kwan-Do lessons. Ray faithfully took them to those lessons - where he loved to watch them and cheer them on!
And with Ray’s marriage to Robin came daughters! Ray was overjoyed to gain daughters, in Paige, Angela and Kelsey. And grandsons, Aleczander and Asher.
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And when talking about Ray’s life, we can’t forget to mention his dogs that he loved so much as well. In high school Ray got a golden retriever named “Jack”. As an adult he got his dog “Duece” who he had most of his adult life. Then just two summers ago he got another golden retriever - this time a puppy he named “Case International Harvester” - or just “Case”. And Case became Ray’s shadow and the two of them were rarely apart.
…
Raymond was a vital part of so many lives! From his parents, Bill and Susan, who he has now joined in Heaven! To his sisters, Christina and Anita who will miss him dearly. His wife Robin, His sons, Haden and Hunter, his “bonus children,” Paige, Angela and Kelsey - the grandsons, Aleczander and Asher. And even his loyal dog, Case… That’s a full life! A connected life! You can see Raymond's full heart in the love he had for his family.
And you can further see Raymond's heart for others in the way he served the Elks Lodge, in many leadership positions, and in the people he served alongside there. It’s been heartening to read the remembrances posted on the funeral homes website for Raymond. Some of the friends from the Elks talked about how funny he was, light-hearted and so willing to serve.
And he served elsewhere, through projects like Bed Blitz, building beds for kids! And this work wasn’t just filling his calendar, not keeping him busy - this was the mark of service, compassion and LOVE!
The Bible tells us those things matter. Love matters. Service matters. The way we show up for the people in our lives matters.
And it also reminds us of something even deeper.
At the center of our faith is not what we do - but what God has done for us!
Today, we thank God for what Paul told the Ephesians, “‘For by God's GRACE you have been saved - through your faith! And this is not your own doing; it is the FREE GIFT OF GOD.”
God made the way - through Jesus. We receive His AMAZING GRACE!
Jesus was an amazing teacher! But, he didn’t just teach about life - He defeated death!
And He didn’t come to earth just to comfort us, He made a way FOR us!
So when we stand here today, we do so with a steady hope - a calm confidence. Not because everything feels okay. And not because of anything we’ve done. But because we believe God keeps His promises!
Jordan read for us this morning that Jesus reminded the disciples saying, “I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you” …
That’s where Jesus went when he left this earth. He went to prepare a place - FOR YOU!
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That means Ray’s story isn’t just about what was. It is also about what WILL BE!
Sweet reunions!
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And in the meantime… what he leaves behind is real.
Memories, laughter and LOVE!
…a life that touched many others. Some in BIG ways, and others in quiet, meaningful ways.
We thank God for Raymond’s life. Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
We thank you again… for Raymond Lyle Wilkinson’s life!
Thank you for his consistent presence, his willingness to help,
Thank you for the LOVE he gave his family, and for the joy he found in everyday life.
Thank you for the memories - that today bring both tears and smiles.
Father, I pray you comfort all those gathered today who feel this loss most deeply.
We pray comfort for Robin, for Ray’s children and for all who loved him.
And we ask all this… in Jesus’ name. Amen.
READING
Renee Wetzell
TRIBUTES from Friends and Family
Carey Sager
- Ryan Breese
Christina Lauwerens
- Anita Wilkinson
FAREWELL
As we conclude today, we pray you all leave with the peace that surpasses understanding. The peace only God provides.
Carry with you memories of Ray that make you smile, Ray out fishing, fixing something, enjoying time with family, or just being himself.
I leave you with this blessing from the book of Numbers, Chapter 6:
"The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
Amen.
Now, the family would like to invite you and encourage you to join them at the St Dominic’s Parish Hall for a delicious meal. You will find some of Ray’s favorite foods: chicken, beef, rolls, and croutons… plus a whole bunch of food that Raymond would never have touched. :)
The Parish Hall is just a few blocks up the street on Galena Avenue and the directions are in your program.
We’ll see you there!
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