Ray E. Fearing, Jr., age 89, of Lebanon, Ill., born October 12, 1931 in Valley City, N.D., died March 8, 2021 at Aviston Countryside Manor, Aviston, Ill.

Ray voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Army at the onset of the Korean War and was a records clerk with a M.A.S.H unit. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and passionately worked in the family history center of his local church wards for decades.

He was a graduate of the School of Mines and Technology in South Dakota. He worked as a geological engineer for many years for the former National Gas Pipeline in Chicago, and retired from Peoples Gas in 1984.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 60 years Arleen D., nee Rezac, Fearing on April 29, 2019; and his parents Ray E. Fearing, Sr., and Helen F., nee Kelly Watson, Whitson and sister Eugenie M. Fearing.

He is survived by his brothers James R. (Nancy) and Robert F. (Pat), his children Cara Dayhoff, Cathy O'Malley, Ray E., III, Steven (Stori) and Colleen (Curtis) Kretschmer, 25 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Visitation: The family will receive friends from 9 – 10 am, Monday, March 15, 2021 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 255 Fairwood Hills Rd., O'Fallon.

Funeral:  10 am, Monday, at the church. Burial with military honors will take place at Camp Butler National Cemetery, Springfield, Ill.