Raymond J. Smieja

Raymond J. Smieja, 87, of Independence, died Saturday, March 15, 2014 at Gundersen Tri-County Hospital and Clinics,Whitehall. He was born March 30, 1926 in Independence to George T. and Clara (Sobota) Smieja. He married Delores Ciszak on June 12, 1950 at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Waumandee. She died February 21, 2006. Raymond was a parachute rigger in the Army Air Corp from 1944 to 1945. He owned and operated Smieja Mink Farm. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and snowmobiling. He especially liked to fish on Lake Superior with family and friends. He was a member of SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and Sura-Wiersgalla American Legion Post 186 of Independence,. Survivors include two children, Tom (special friend, Diane Sczepanski) Smieja of Whitehall and Jan (Tom) Olson of Independence; brother, Edmund (Mary) Smieja of Independence; two grandchildren, Aaron (special friend, Kayla) and Jayme Olson; sister-in-law, Josephine Smieja of Independence; nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife; sister, Ruth Runkel and brother James Smieja. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 24, 2014 at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Independence, with Very Rev. Woodrow H. Pace officiating. Burial, with military rites, will be in the church cemetery.   Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Sunday, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. followed by a rosary, at Edison Funeral Home, Independence, and one hour prior to services at the church on Monday. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Raymond J. Smieja, please visit our flower store.