Raymond Frank Doerfler Jr.

Raymond Frank Doerfler Jr., 80, of Rockdale passed away on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, in Bryan.

Ray wa s born on April 2, 1943, to Raymond Frank Sr. a nd Dor o thy Catherine (O’Connor) Doerfler in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

He proudly served in the U.S. Air Force for four years and met his future wife, Susan Schumaker, during this time. The two were married on Nov. 18, 1966, in McAllen.

The couple returned to Minnesota, where Ray started his plumbing career until one day his wife announced that “it was warmer in the freezer than it was outside” and they decided to return to Texas where Susan’s parents had retired.

Ray started a plumbing business in Alamo.

Having grown up on a dairy farm, in 1978, he fulfilled his dream of owning his own dairy farm.

He was a member of the McAllen Elks Lodge No. 1402 and served as the Exalted Ruler from 19781979.

Over the years, he worked part time on oil rigs and expanded the farm to include raising quarterhorses.

After retiring from dairying, he worked at the University of Texas-Pan American in the maintenance department.

He and his wife moved to Rockdale in 2013 onto a small beef cattle ranch with their horses.

Ray was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and the Rockdale American Legion Post 2534.

He is remembered fondly for always greeting everyone with “Merry Christmas” regardless of the season.

He was preceded in death by his parents Raymond Sr. and Dorothy Doerfler.

Ray is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Susan Doerf ler; daughters Jean Kovar, Katherine Doerfler, Trisha Brown and Heather Dreher; grandchildren Sarah, Colleen, David, Danny, Ashley, Pamela, Rebecca, Tristan, Hannah, Colin, Timothy and Peter; great-grandchildren Matthew and Brayden; and siblings Cathy Fischer, Jim, Doug and Walt Doerfler.

A memorial mass will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 22, at St Joseph Catholic Church in Rockdale.

Arrangements by Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home, P.O. Drawer 1417, Rockdale, 76567, 512-446-5454.