Raymond Joseph Smeal, 84, of Snyder, died Sunday, June 24, 2007, at Parkview nursing home in Dodge. Mass of Christian of Burial will be 10:30 pm. Wednesday at St. Leo Catholic Church in Snyder with Reverend Don Cleary as celebrant. Wake Services 7:00 pm. Tuesday at St. Leo in Snyder. Burial will be in St. Leo Cemetery. Memorials may be made to St. Leo Catholic Church or Snyder fire and rescue. Visitation will be Tuesday 3:00 pm. until 8:00 pm. at the church in Snyder. Ray was born June 21, 1923, at Snyder and grew up on the farm North West of Snyder. He attended St. Leo’s Catholic grade school and graduated from Snyder High School with the class of 1941. On May 24, 1944 he married Arlene Liekhus at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at Olean. The couple farmed near Snyder until 1953 when Ray established Ray Smeal Transfer, trucking until his 1989 retirement. The couple lived in Snyder until moving to St. Joseph’s Retirement Community in West Point in 2002, then to Parkview Home in Dodge in 2005. Ray was a member of St. Leo Catholic Church where he served on the parish council and as a trustee and sang in the church choir, Knights of Columbus, and Holy Name Society. He served on the Snyder Public School Board, as a volunteer fireman, being chief for 7 years, was a member of the Lions Club, and enjoyed being active with the Snyder Centennial celebration. Survivors include his wife, Arlene, of Parkview Home in Dodge, daughters Diane (Ron) Wiese of Central City, Dorothy (Norm) Weber of Wisner, Beverly (Randall) Greer of and Nadine (John) Ries both of Omaha, sons Larry (Lois) of Omaha, Rick (Toni) of Snyder and Randy (Janice) of Omaha, sister Eileen (Tony) Bose and sister in laws Ardath and Loretta Smeal all of Snyder, 19 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Donald and William and grandson Nicholas Ries.