Ray A. Edlund

Raymond “Ray” A. Edlund, 85, of Rock Island, passed away March 14, 2024, at Friendship Manor.

Funeral services will be held at 12 p.m. Wednesday March 20, 2024, at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd., Moline.  The visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the funeral home.  Burial will be at Moline Memorial Park, with military honors.  Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Wounded Warrior Project, or Tunnel to Towers Foundation.  

Ray was born on April 9, 1938, in Moline, the son of Roy F. and Ruth (Hokinson) Edlund. As a youth, he sang with the Moline Boys Choir. He graduated from Moline High School and later from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree and from the University of Iowa with a Master of Business Administration. Ray was a U.S. Veteran having served in the Marine Corps from 1960-1966, earning the rank of Corporal. He was previously employed as a general engineer for the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command and product assurance and test director for 20 years for the Armament Munitions and Chemical Command. He was also in management for the former IH Farmall for 20 years.

Ray had previously been Chairman of the Midwest Conference Board and a member of the Institute of Industrial Engineering, American Society of Quality Control and was President of the Local Section. He held a Professional Engineering Liscence from the State of California. Ray was one of the many people to help design and build Mill Creek Golf Course, now Pinnacle Country Club. He was an active member of Bethel Wesley United Methodist Church where he served as a lay leader, finance committee chairman, usher, choir member and council ministry. He was a member of the Alpha Chi Rho National Fraternity and a member of the Moline American Legion.

Survivors include his nephew, Donald (Shelli) Edlund, Coal Valley; niece, Karen (Milan) Stevanovic, Coal Valley; niece, Janet (Scott) Wadsager of Davenport; great nephews and niece, Sam, Evan, Erik, Sarah.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sibling, Roland.

Memories may be shared online by visiting esterdahl.com.