Raymond Feller

Raymond David Feller was born on November 1, 1935, in Hardin Montana to Ben and Nellie Feller.  He was the 6th of 8 children and the youngest boy.  He had an illustrious school experience at the boarding school at St. X. The nuns were well aware of his hijinks.  

He entered the Army in 1956 instead of graduating from high school.  He was honorably discharged in March of 1962.  With the assistance of the GI Bill, he was able to obtain his commercial pilot license.  With that license, he was able to become a crop duster.  He flew all over Eastern Montana and Western North Dakota.  As his nephew Jerry wrote, he would buzz the fields around Hardin to say hello when he knew Jerry was in the field.  In the 1960’s, he went to Australia with his friend Gene Perkins to experience ranching down under.  That did not last for very long.

Ray was a true renaissance man.  When he returned home, he started to work for Cardinal Drilling as a roughneck driller and built oil field equipment.  He was also part of a family construction company, building many homes in Billings and Red Lodge.  He was able to do the framing, plumbing, electrical.  He was very proud of rock walls that he designed and built at several of his homes.

In his latter years, he was very active in several Billings Catholic parishes.   He enjoyed being an usher at services, but where he felt he did the best, was at funerals.   He also enjoyed visiting and debating with several LDS missionaries.  He would routinely invite them back to discuss issues they had presented.  He spent hours at the library researching what they had talked about so he could quiz them about his discoveries.

He was an independent man until last June when he had a medical issue that threatened his ability to care for himself.  He moved in with his niece Kathy in July.  He passed away peacefully after a short illness.  He said that would be the happiest day of his life.  

His parents and siblings all preceded him in death.  He is survived by his nieces, nephews and cousins.

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