Raymond Kainz, age 78, of Ely died Friday, Janyary 18, 2002, at Miller-Dwan Hospital in Duluth.

He was born April 4, 1923, in Genola Minnesota, to Andrew and Bertha Reese Kainz.

He was the tenth of sixteen children, living on a farm near Pierz. He lived in central Minnesota until about 1940, going to work when he was about 13, as did the rest in the family. He learned carpentry in the Civilian Conservation Corps camp at age 16. His mid-to-late teens and early twenties were spent working as a carpenter in the summers for his brother, Bill, who was a construction builder and contractor near Valley City, N.D. During the winters, he worked in logging.

He had many talents, a lot of which were unknown to his friends later in life. He was a good artist; it was his job to put colored murals on blackboards for the Christmas program that was held in his school district, 87, in Morrison County. Ray also played the guitar very well. He always had a knack for carpentry and was very good at it. He built all of the houses that he and Marion lived in during their more than 50 years of marriage.

Ray and Marion Torgerson married in 1949, and lived in a lumber camp which Ray, his dad and his brother, Norman, owned about 50 miles southeast of Ely. In 1955, he moved to a village started by the US Forest Service, which leased lots for free to whoever wanted to build there. It was called Sawbill Landing. The couple resided in the lumber camp and later at Sawbill Landing. Their six children were born in Two Harbors: Bruce, Debbie, Brian, Kim (Fred), Jody and Tommy. They all live in the Ely area except for Jody, who lives near the Twin Cities. In 1962, Ray and Norman added a new partner, their brother, Leo, and built a sawmill a mile east of Ely. In 1967, Ray moved to Ely, where he had lived until now. He and his partners took logs from the Superior National Forest and turned them into finished dry lumber, which they sold in five surrounding states along with retail sales in Ely. Rays lumber can still be recognized in Ely, with one of his mills products being the WEL Y buildings siding.

Ray loved to fish and hunt, most of all to fish, and loved to cook fish and game. He was a friend to everyone, with no one too high or low. Everyone was welcome at Rays table. If you came anywhere near Ray and Marions home, you were graciously invited to eat. There were many family and friends, and fish and game dinners, at Ray and Marions house. The dinners were the best, and between Ray and Marion, their cooked game was outstandingly good. He always provided a good home for his family, and he always was there when needed. He worked hard at producing and providing a product and service for people. He was the kind of person that makes our country what it is.

Survivors include his wife, Marion; children, Bruce (Lois), Debra (Dave) Cherne, Brian (Kathy), Kim (Sue), Jody (Therese) and Tommy; 16 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; brothers, Norman, John, and Michael; sisters, Dolores and Doreen; numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers and sisters, William, Vern, Clarence, Annie, Hildegarde, infant Emma, Bertha, Leo, Harvey (infant twin of Raymond), and Ervin.