Raymond Joseph Buchkoe, 95, of 1117 N. Fourth Street, Marquette, entered eternal life early Tuesday morning, April 11, 2006, at his home.

Ray was born in Ironwood on September 21, 1910, a son of Andrew and Anna (Donich) Buchko.  The third of nine siblings, Ray was raised in Bessemer where he attended St. Sebastian Elementary School.  He then attended St. John’s University Preparatory School in Collegeville, Minnesota for a year before returning to Bessemer where he graduated from the A.D. Johnston High School in 1928.  From an early age, the value of receiving an education was instilled in Ray, and he remained a lifelong student and educator.  In 1933, he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Studies from Western Michigan University.  Later, in 1955, he did post graduate work at Yale.

Ray’s first employment was as a high school teacher in Bessemer for three  years.  In 1937, he moved to Marquette where he became director of education for the Marquette Branch Prison and State House of Correction.  There, he met Dorothy Lucille Peterson, then secretary to the warden.  Three years later, on June 14, 1947, the couple married.  Also in 1947, Ray was named assistant deputy warden and, in 1952, director of Classification and Treatment Program.  From 1956 until his retirement in 1973, Ray served as warden at the prison, instituting several educational programs and upgrades at the facility.  Following retirement, he continued his role as educator by serving as an instructor in Northern Michigan University’s Criminal Justice Department for two years.

Ray was a devout Catholic and a member of St. Michael Catholic Church.  He also had several community affiliations and professional recognitions throughout the years, including serving as president of the Peter White Public Library Board for several terms, a member of Rotary, being a delegate to the International Criminological Congress in Montreal in 1965, serving as Sergeant at Arms for the American Corrections Association, and was also a member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels.  During World War II, he received the Selective Service Award, as a civilian, from Congress, and in 1975 was honored by Northern Michigan University with the Distinguished Citizenship Award.  A lifelong Democrat, he always enjoyed discussing politics and was known for dispensing barbs and quips about political personalities, ideologies, and programs.  Ray appreciated people of intelligence and made education a primary goal and purpose, both for himself and others.  In his leisure, Ray enjoyed reading, working crossword puzzles, visiting, playing cards, and especially spending time with his grandsons.  He was a good cook, sharing many of his culinary skills with his wife, sons, and grandsons.  Ray also had a great love of Canada and, in earlier years, the family traveled throughout Canada on three occasions.  Ray was never at a loss for a good joke, sharing his humor with everyone and was especially adept at the “comeback”.

Ray is survived by two sons, Tom (Barbara) Buchkoe and Robert Buchkoe; two grandsons, Michael and Eric Buchkoe all of Marquette; two brothers, Basil Buchko of Menasha, WI and Gerard Buchko of Sparks, NV; a sister-in-law, Marion Biang; and brothers-in-law, Robert “Red” (Loretta) Peterson and Donald (Diana) Peterson all of Marquette; and several nieces and nephews.  Preceding him in death were his wife, Dorothy, in 1999; four sisters, Mary Jane Calabrese, Zita Dianda, Jean Schwenk, and Ann Fassbender; two brothers, Andreas and Michael Buchko; and a sister-in-law, Frances Abbott.

Friends may call at the Fassbender Funeral Home on Monday from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 am Tuesday morning, April 18, in St. Michael Catholic Church with Rev. Msgr. Jed Patrick, pastor, as celebrant.  A reception for family and friends will follow in the parish center.  Burial will be made in the Holy Cross Cemetery.  Pallbearers will be Michael and Eric Buchkoe, Gary Peterson, Eric Frimodig, Fred Anderson, and Tom Baldini.