DOWNEY – Raoul John “Ray” Hoeschen, a member of the Downey Elks Lodge, died peacefully at home July 22. He was born in Minnesota to Herman and Evelyn Hoeschen on Nov. 23, 1935 and was raised on a farm in Sublimity, Ore. With his parents and sister, Marlys, he moved to South Gate in the late 1940s.

He attended St. Matthias School and graduated from South Gate High School in 1953. After high school, he served in the U.S. Army.

He returned to Southern California, settling in Lynwood where he lived and raised his family for 30 years. Ray belonged to the Holy Name Society at St. Emydius Church and was chairman of the Parish Festival. He also devoted many years to Boy Scout Pack 691, eventually becoming Scout Master.

He worked for more than 30 years at Distributor Supply Company in Los Angeles and retired after approximately 20 years as an outside salesman with Basics, Etc. in Temecula.

Ray moved to Downey in the early 1990s and became a member of St. Raymond’s Catholic Church and Downey Elk’s Lodge No. 2020. He was recognized by the Muscular Dystrophy Association for many years of volunteer service to the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon.

Ray is survived by his daughters, Barbara Hoeschen and her family, Angie (Peter) Cabrera and their six children, Nina (Jorge) Hernandez and their four children, and Victor (April) Serrano; Cindy (Jim) Lynch and their son, Michael; Debbie Yoakum and her sons, Matthew Ray and Drew; his son, Ed Hoeschen; his love, Sandie Bixler and her sons, Kelly and Kory (Jackie) Bixler and their son, Kodie; the entire Kelly family; and his former in-laws, Roy and Dorothy Maker.

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Published: July 31, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 16