The Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church "Death Notice: The Rev. Raymond E. Nuetzman, 92 for Friday, 9 January 2015

The Rev. Raymond E. Nuetzman, 92, a clergy member of the Great Plains United Methodist Conference died Dec. 30, 2014. He was born on November 16th, 1922 on a farm north of Columbus, Nebraska to Ernest Julius and Katherine (Schroeder) Nuetzman. He received his degree in Religion and Journalism from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1952.  Post graduation Ray served the church in Schuyler, Nebraska where he met and married his wife of 61 years, JoAnn (Chudomelka) Nuetzman on October 27th, 1953. .  His ministry began as a young man in Columbus, Nebraska during which he was a lay minister for the Methodist church.  Upon returning to Nebraska Wesleyan University after assisting his father as a farmer during the 2nd World War, Ray felt a call to serve the Lord as a full time clergyman for the  Methodist Church.  During his college years and after he served as a pastor in Brainard, Rogers, and Schuyler Nebraska. He gained his Masters in Theology from Iliff School of Theology of Denver, Colorado in the mid 50's while pastoring in downtown Colorado Springs at St. Paul's Methodist Church.  In 1962 Ray returned to Nebraska to serve the St. Edward UMC for 5 years and then was the pastor at the Seward, Nebraska UMC for 11 years, building a new church for the newly merged Methodist and E.U.B. congregations.  He was the longest serving pastor of the Seward UMC.  For many years Pastor Ray was the Conference Secretary for the Nebraska United Methodist Conference. In 1973 Ray was appointed to serve as the Central District Superintendent of the United Methodist Conference with his office in Kearney, Nebraska.  After 6 years in this capacity he remained in Kearney as the Associate Pastor at the First United Methodist Church for 6 years.  Following this appointment Ray became the first chaplain at Methodist Memorial Homes in Holdrege, Nebraska where he had previously spent many years as a board member.  He also witnessed to two small rural churches, Haven's Chapel UMC north of Kearney and Bethel UMC near Gibbon, Nebraska.  In later years Ray assisted in many ways at the YMCA Church of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado. Survivors include his wife JoAnn Nuetzman of Estes Park, Colorado, his daughters Suzie (Nuetzman) Mayo and her husband Gerald of Estes Park, Colorado, Deborah Rae (Nuetzman) Soneson and her husband Jeff of Holdrege, Nebraska. A private Family service was held on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015. The Memorial Service will be at a later date. The Family requests that memorials be made to the donor's choice.

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