Raymond Gruber Obituary

Raymond W. Gruber passed away, May 2nd of 2005 at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs. He was born May 21, 1923 in Argyle, Michigan. He left his home in Michigan to service in the Army Air Force during WWII, and was stationed in LaJunta at the LaJunta Army Air Field with the Army Air Training Command. While training in LaJunta, he met his future wife to be, Betty L. Flinn of LaJunta, Colorado and was married to her on December 12, 1945. He was transferred to Burma where he was assigned to the 3ACD 69CW providing Air Supply Drops over the hump into China. Upon returning to the United States and receiving a discharge from the Army, he returned to LaJunta. Making their home in LaJunta, the two of them raised two children and living in LaJunta until 1969 with a brief period spent in Michigan. Betty and Ray lived in Niles, Michigan from 1969 to 2005, where upon the family moved Betty and Ray to Colorado after Ray suffered a severe stroke. He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, son Ron and his wife Marilee, daughter, Carol and five grandchildren, Kimberlee and (David) Romine, Allison Gruber, Sean and Sara Donlin, three great-grandchildren, Ashlee, Madison, and Dylan Romine. He has three sisters, Helen, Rhea, and Theresa who are living in Michigan and Indiana. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Jacob and Elizabeth Gruber, his brothers, Jerome, Mark and Ron. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, May 7th, 11:00 a.m., at New Life Church, in the Tag Chapel, Colorado Springs, Colorado.