KEIM, Ray Harold

Ray Harold Keim was born March 11, 1910 in Johnstown, Nebaska to Frank Miles Keim and Gertrude Francis Arnold Keim. Ray was the 3rd of eight children, one of 5 boys and 4 girls. He lived most of his life in the Brown County, Nebraska area. Ray was united in marriage in 1937 to Grazia Ruth Foster. To this union was born daughter Patricia Elaine and son Steven Ray. He was later united in marriage to Esther Fernau on May 26, 1973 in Valentine, NE. He died at Ainsworth Care Center on December 21, 2000 at the age of 90 years 9 months. Ray was preceded in death by his beloved wife Esther, his parents, sister Francis, sister Ruth and brother Clair. He is survived by his daughter Pat Johnson of Houston, Texas; his son Steve Keim and Bonnie of Boise, Idaho; 9 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren; numerous step-children and step-greatgrandchildren, a sister Fern, brother Erwin and brother Ralph all of Ainsworth and brother Dale of Provo, Utah. The Keim family lived on a homestead south of Johnstown at Ray's birth but soon moved to a farmstead north of Johnstown where Frank, his Dad, had built another home. After that they lived various places around the area over the next few years as he was growing up. After marrying, Ray and Grazia lived east of Mabelo School. They later moved to Plum Creek where their livelihood was largely dependent on trapping beaver and mink. In the fall of 1948 he bought what was known as the "old Gaskin place" and moved "up on the hill" one mile north and one mile west of the Mabelo schoolhouse. Ray and Grazia spent long days of hard work making a home and raising their family. They farmed, raised cattle, hogs and sheep and milked cows. Much of his work for many years was made up of improving the land, doing such things as building fence, building new buildings, and planting windbreaks. In addition they added indoor plumbing, built additions on the house and even dug a basement under it. He worked this farm and rented other farmland around the area all of his working life before retiring and selling the farm in 1975. However, he then spent a number of years working with his brother Ralph in his farming operation. After being united with Esther in 1973, they lived for the next 25 years in Ainsworth at 115 N. Mertin and then briefly at Park Homes. In later years he took a lot of pride in his garden, yard and flowers. He always grew tomatoes claiming each year that they were the biggest and best he'd ever grown. After Esther's death in 1998 Ray shared time with the many friends he had around the community. He was a regular at the Community Senior Center and the local coffee shop where he enjoyed telling stories and visiting with friends. Memorials may be made to the family or to the Ainsworth Community Center.