Raymond Kounovsky

October 13, 1946 - January 7, 2020

Raymond Lee Kounovsky Kearney Resident, 73 KEARNEY - Raymond Lee Kounovsky, 73, of Kearney passed away Tuesday, January 7, 2020 at CHI Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 11, 2020 at O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney with the Rev. John Gosswein officiating. Burial services will be held at a later date. The family will receive family and friends 5:00 to 7:00pm Friday at O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home. Raymond was born on Oct. 13, 1946, in Lynch to John and Mildred (Wright) Kounovsky. He grew up on a farm West of Verdigre and attended Stoney Butte Grade School. He loved hunting and helping his dad on the farm and with construction. He had a special fondness for fishing with his Grandpa Wright. He loved football, basketball and was chosen for state in baseball. He graduated from Verdigre High School, attended Wayne State College and completed his hours at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Ray entered the U.S. Marine Corps in 1965. He served our country in Vietnam for 19 months as an infantry radio operator until 1969, taking one leave to return to the States and marry the love of his life. He married Sonia M. Prokop on September 3, 1967. They lived in California and several Nebraska communities throughout their 52 year marriage. He worked at the Norfolk Regional Center, Iowa Beef and Beemer Hardware prior to self-employment. The majority of his life he worked as a surveyor for the Bureau of Reclamation and for the Nebraska Department of Roads. He had a special interest in firearms and hunting and was a wonderful cook. He was a proficient appliance repairman, Assistant Scoutmaster and hunter safety instructor. He was deeply devoted to his family and to the Lord. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Sonia of Kearney; children, Jason (Stephanie) Kounovsky of Kearney, Morgan (Kristina) Kounovsky of Grand Island and Bethany (Larry) Spargo of Albuquerque, NM; mother, Mildred Kounovsky of Clay Center; siblings, Jim (Lori) Kounovsky and Sandra (Larry) Beach; in-laws, Lyle and Carolyn Larsen and Gerain and Laura Spatz; grandchildren, Tobias and Brandon Kounovsky, Zachary and Cody Kounovsky and Adrick Spargo; step-grandchildren, Ryu (Maria) Eakes, Shelbi Hopkins, Chesni Fread-Gammon, Jessica and McKenna Pafford and Racheal Spargo; great-grandchildren, Amaya Eakes, Felicia Drumheller and Xavier Thompson; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, John Kounovsky; in-laws, Robert and Irene Sperstad; and brother-in-law, Junior Pavlik. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services.