Raymond 'Ray' Hegwood

June 30, 1954-Dec. 28, 2011

MITCHELL, South Dakota -- Raymond "Ray" Hegwood, 57, of Mitchell, died Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011, at his home of natural causes.

He was born June 30, 1954. Funeral services are today, Jan. 3, 2012, at the Mitchell Wesleyan Church with burial at Graceland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, at the Will Funeral Chapel.

Raymond Luther Hegwood was born on June 30, 1954, to Vernon Luther and Helen Margaret (Robertson) Hegwood in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He attended grade school at various schools in Nebraska before moving to Mitchell, where he attended Faith Bible School for the remainder of his education and graduated in 1973.

On July 30, 1973, he married Miriam Anderson at the Wesleyan Church in Imperial, Nebraska. During their married life, they lived in Mitchell, and Wauneta, Nebraska. While in Mitchell, Raymond worked with his father as Hegwood Construction, Firesteel Heathcare Center, Adjustment Training Center, the City of Mitchell, South Dakota Department of Transportation, Iverson Chrysler and Steamway Cleaning. During the years they lived in Wauneta, he worked for Wauneta Roller Mill and Harchelroad Motors. He was currently employed at the South Dakota Department of Transportation and the Mitchell Wesleyan Church.

His life consisted of being a support and help to all the members of his immediate family. Although he had faced adversity in his life -- ruptured appendix in 1979 and the loss of his fingers in 1992 -- he faced life's challenges without complaint. His coworkers will attest to his faithfulness to the "duties" assigned to him.

He is survived by his wife, Miriam Hegwood, Mitchell, South Dakota; two daughters, Rhonda Carney and husband, Shawn, Colby, Kansas and Jeanie Bultje and husband, Jerimy, Mitchell; five granddaughters, Brittany, Alexis, Calista Carney and Morgan Bultje, who will greatly miss their beloved "Pa-e", plus Danica Raye Carney, who was born on Dec. 28th; parents, Vernon and Helen Hegwood, Mitchell, two sisters, Susan Hunt and husband, Keith, of Mitchell, Sharon McVey, of Shoals, Indiana and twin brothers, Donald and Ronald Hegwood, of Mitchell.

He was preceded in death by paternal grandparents, Martin Luther and Ethel Mae Hegwood; his maternal grandparents, Henry Daniel and Margaret Helen Robertson; a cousin, Lori Lei Hartman in March of 2011.