In Memory
Raymond Floyd Berndt, age 93, passed away Friday, Jan. 6, 2017, at his home in Brookdale Living Center. Raymond was born June 30, 1923, to Gust and Mary (Crocker) Berndt in McCook. He attended a one-room school house, where during the "dirty thirties," they needed a lantern during the day and had a rope tied so they could get home. He graduated from McCook in 1940. He worked at the dairy and for the railroad. On June 6, 1948, he married Dorothy Ridpath and they made their home on a farm south of McCook. They enjoyed raising wheat, milo and cattle and knew if you had a good year, it might have to cover for the next. They moved into town in 1990. He enjoyed going out for coffee with his cronies, an occasional game of golf, to farm sales, parades and car shows, usually with Dorothy at his side. He always loved having picnics and "wiener roasts" and pulling practical jokes (like giving a hired man a fake hotdog). They finally gave their hearts to the Lord (an answer to many years of prayer by his Aunts Minnie and Martha, who he stayed with during high school) after a tornado took the roof off the Culbertson grandstand where they'd just been sitting. From that time on they were busy members of the First Assembly of God Church. One of his delights was teaching a class of junior boys. He served as a deacon and was the church treasurer for many years. They always had a heart for missions, and helped their cousins John and Lucille Mazurek, missionaries to Chile. They passed this legacy down, as 12 of their descendants have made missions trips to Mexico, China, Romania, Ireland, El Salvador, the Philippines and Ethiopia. The legacy lives on in Cheryl and Phil's missions ministry Ravens Mexico. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Gilbert; and Dorothy, his bride of 66 years. He is survived by daughters, Cheryl and husband, Rev. Phil Neely of Montrose, Colo., and Karen and husband, Tom Anderson of McCook; sister, Velma and husband, Bob McBride; brother, Dean and wife, Helen of McCook; six grandchildren, Jason (Carmen) Neely, Jessica Neely, Nick (Chely) Anderson, Rev. Andy (Stephanie) Anderson, Krystal Anderson and Tiffany (Brandon) Trampe; and three great-grand children, Judah and Jenna Neely and Nicole Anderson.
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