Raymond Christen Odegaard, 84, Aneta, ND, died Wednesday, November 2, 2005, at Cooperstown Medical Center, Cooperstown, ND. He was born on January 20, 1921, the youngest of 3 children, born to Syver and Malina (Trostad) Odegaard, at their rural Aneta home.

He attended Pilot Mound #4 Public School, rural Aneta. He started farming with his father at the age of 16. He purchased the family farm in 1953. After his retirement he continued to help with his son Daniel's farming operation until late this past summer.

Raymond married Gladys Lorch at Our Savior's Church in Hillsboro on October 23, 1954. They lived on the family farm for 51 years, all of their married life.

He was an active lifetime member of West Prairie Lutheran Church, rural Binford, where he was baptized and confirmed. He was the clerk of Pilot Mound Township for 23 years. He served on many boards including the McVille School Board, Cooperstown Farmer's Oil Company, Griggs County Farm Bureau, Griggs County Hospital and Nursing Home, and the Griggs County Water Board. He was a member of the Aneta Masonic Lodge and Cooperstown Sons of Norway.

In Raymond's younger years he enjoyed flying his airplane. He had a North Dakota pilot license and shared a plane with Leonard Trostad. He spoke Norwegian as a second language. In his early retirement years he enjoyed traveling and fulfilled a life-long dream of visiting Norway, where he met several first cousins.

He was an avid reader of current events, mysteries, history, business, and finance. He was an artist, always doodling, and his welded creations were given away for others to enjoy. He was proud of his accomplishments in life and enjoyed many weekly tours of his farm, watching the crops grow and his cattle graze. The loves of his life were (in no particular order) laughter, young people, HostFest, work, cattle, reading, playing the card game Shang-Hi, friends and family. He enjoyed farm life, pouring love into all he did.

Funeral services will be 10:30 Monday, November 7, 2005, in Trinity Lutheran Church, Cooperstown, ND. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 Sunday, November 6, 2005, in Quam-Plaisted-Cushman Funeral Home, Cooperstown, ND, and one hour before services in the Church. Prayer Service will be 7:00 Sunday, November 6, 2005, in the funeral home. Interment will be in the West Prairie Cemetery, rural Binford, ND, with graveside service at 1:30.