Robert Raney

Robert J. Raney, son of Robert P. and Estella C. (Gammon) Raney, was born August 31, 1924 in Luray, Kansas. He received his grade school education at Prospect country school. He attended high school at Luray and graduated in 1942. Robert joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943 and was discharged in 1946. He was united in marriage to Doris Alveda Gebhardt on November 28, 1946. To this union was born two sons, Richard R. and Raymond L. both of Scandia. Robert received both his Bachelor and Master’s degrees from Kansas State University. He became a member of the Agronomy Department faculty in June of 1955 when he became Superintendent of the North Central Kansas Irrigation Experiment Field. He served as an Agronomy Professor at Kansas State University for over 34 years. He served as Deputy Chief of Party with KSU and USAID in Hyderabad, India for about 4 years, where he taught graduate courses in irrigation and developed two Irrigation Experiment Fields. Robert pioneered irrigation water management, soybean production, and corn-soybean rotations for N.C. Kansas. Professor Raney introduced the soybean crop to Republic County and North Central Kansas famers. He was a member of Gamma Sigma Delta and Sigma Xi Honorary Fraternities. Robert was an active member in the community which led to several positions of service and leadership including: Norway School Board, Highland Baptist Church, Norway Methodist Church, Scandia United Methodist Church, Charter member of the Scandia Lions Club, Scandia American Legion Post 193, Scandia Municipal Judge, Scandia Housing Authority, Republic County Commissioner, Republic County Emergency Management Coordinator, Republic County Committeeman, and Republic County Hospital Trustee. Robert passed from this life Wednesday, October 02, 2013 at the Republic County Hospital in Belleville at the age of 89 years. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles. He will be forever remembered by his wife Doris of their home; son Richard and his wife Sonia and their children, Robert and his wife Traci and their children Brynn and Audrey, Bryce and his wife Olja, and Tara and her husband Jeff and children Hadley and Parker; son Raymond and his wife Jane and their children, Tiffany and husband Brandon and daughter Kaitlyn, Tosha and husband Josh; several nieces and nephews; other relatives and many friends.  His grandchildren called him “Popeye” and he later became known as “Popeye” to everyone. Robert was an avid sportsman who loved hunting and fishing. After retirement he became a devoted golfer, especially after his family gave him a golf cart in 1994. In passing “Bob” would like to say, “I hope you were glad I came your way.” Funeral services will be held 10:00am Saturday, October 5, 2013 at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home, Belleville, Kansas. Family inurnment will be in the Scandia Lutheran Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Robert J. Raney Memorial.