Raymond Elwood Hennenfent

Raymond Elwood Hennenfent, aged 85 years of Pioneers Lodge in Moose Jaw and formerly of the Rowletta district, SK, passed away on Tuesday, August 1st, 2017 at the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital with family by his side.  Ray was born on the family farm on March 3rd, 1932.  He attended Wilson and West Marquis schools.  Ray was the eldest son of Joseph and Mary Hennenfent.  Born and raised on the family farm at Rowletta, Ray was a hard worker with a heart of gold.  He loved his cows and working the fields, putting in many long hours with his dad and then his brothers.  Ray was one of many that planned and worked on the Rowletta Civic Center.  He was involved in the Rowletta Curling Club, the Square Dance Club, and the Club 500.  Ray always had a helping hand for his neighbours or a stranger that required help.  Somehow this farm boy met a city girl, Glenda Reader, and took her for his bride on October 25th, 1952.  They built a home on a few acres of the home quarter where they raised three daughters: Patricia, Dianne, and Sherri.  Ray then became very active in the things the girls had interest in: the Keeler 4-H Beef Club, playing ball, and figure skating.  The whole family was a member of the Snow Drifters Snowmobile Club.  Ray loved to snowmobile with some of the young guys from the area.  He always took the opportunity to go fishing with family and friends when he could, and especially loved his times fishing up north in LaRonge.  Ray and Glenda moved to Moose Jaw in 2009, where they bought a house, when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  Being the farm boy that he was, he couldn’t stay out of the dirt and insisted that they grow a garden.  He worked as hard in that little garden as he did on the land on the farm.  He later moved to Extendicare and then to Pioneers Lodge, when MS made moving around difficult.  He enjoyed his outings back to the house when he could help around the yard, have dinner and supper with Glenda, and then Sunday suppers when the family came by.  He will be missed.  He was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Mary Hennenfent; brothers, Little Joe and Roy; sisters Rosie Graas and Bessie Hawkin, and their husbands Michael Graas and William (Bill) Hawken; mother and father-in-law, Edward and Lillian Reader; brother and sister-in-law, Charles and Verna Reader; and sister-in-law, Marguerite Bristow.  Ray will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Glenda; daughters: Patricia (Rick) Jenner, Dianne (Bruce) Cave, and Sherri (Rick) Kaytor; grandchildren: Crystal Jenner, Tanya (Larry) Ismond, Corwin (Nadine) Cave, Neil Cave, Jennifer (Scott) Adams, James Kaytor, Derek Kaytor, and Greg (Breanna) Kaytor; 15 beautiful great-grandchildren; brother, Ronald (Myrtle; sister-in-law, Betty Ann Hennenfent; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.  A Celebration of Ray’s Life will be held on Friday, August 4th, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. in the Harvey Room at Moose Jaw Funeral Home.  Flowers are gratefully declined.  As an expression of sympathy, donations in Ray’s name may be made to the Moose Jaw Health Foundation, 55 Diefenbaker Dr, Moose Jaw, SK S6J 0C2 or STARS Air Ambulance, 2640 Airport Road, Regina, SK S4W 1A3.  Arrangements are entrusted to Moose Jaw Funeral Home, 268 Mulberry Lane.  Todd Sjoberg, Funeral Director 306-693-4550