Raymond Pete Gerk passed peacefully on March 5, 2024, just 22 days shy of his 88th birthday. 

Ray was born in Ovid on March 27, 1936. He was the second child and oldest son of Pete and Lena (Shank) Gerk. Ray was an avid producer and businessman. As a young farmer, he started his operation growing sugar beets and became knowledgeable on how to produce a valuable crop. He was asked by Holly Sugar to move to Hereford, Texas with his brothers, Robert and Jim, and Don Reuter to raise sugar beets and teach area Texans to grow them. While in the Texas Panhandle, Ray was recognized for his innovation and passion for maximum production and growth with irrigation development. He was also invited to serve on the High Plains Underground Water District board and received invitations to serve on other boards. As he continued to farm and grow production acres, he became interested in cattle feeding operations. He owned and operated Beef City Feedyard until the early 1990s. Ray was known in the Hereford community to be an "out of the box" thinker and always was coming up with unique ideas. In the later part of his career, he moved back to Holyoke and continued to farm.

Those who knew him, know he liked shenanigans. He told stories of dressing up like women to deter border patrol agents, pushing waiting vehicles down the street and the infamous fishing stories (yes, more than one). He and a business partner and dear friend, Earl Green, would also have listeners around the commodity house table in tears of laughter with their mischiefs.

While at Regent Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Ray became acquainted with Ron Lorenzo. Together, they were a team with Bailey, Ray's dog. Just imagine the stories they told each other as the old TV series, The Odd Couple.

He is survived by his loyal and trusted yellow Labrador, Bailey; three daughters and their families including Shelley Heinrich, Shannon Charlton and Shyla Buckner; and two step-children and their families, Jared White and Tessa Bivins. Additional family members include sisters-in law, Elaine Gerk and Carolyn Gerk and numerous nephews and nieces.

Ray is preceded in death by his parents Pete and Lena Gerk and siblings Delores Schultz, Judy Grahl, Robert Gerk and Jim Gerk.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 519 S. Interocean Ave., Holyoke, CO 80734 or Regent Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 816 S. Interocean Ave. in Holyoke in his honor and for the care of Bailey, the loyal and trusted yellow Labrador.  

Services were held on March 9 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Holyoke. He was laid to rest in the Holyoke Cemetery following the mass.