Raymond John Lucivansky

Raymond J. Lucivansky.  9/6/1931 – 7/9/2020

Raymond John Lucivansky, the second son of John and Frances Lucivansky, was born September 6, 1931.

He attended Sacred Heart Catholic School in Almena and Barron High School in Barron, WI and graduated with honors in 1949. In school he was active in journalism, forensics and student government.

After a short stint working in Minneapolis, Ray was drafted into the U S Army during the Korean Conflict. He served two years as a personnel administration specialist attaining the rank of Sergeant E5.

Ray enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Madison while still in the Army. He earned a Bachelor of Business degree at Wisconsin and took night courses toward an MBA while working full time at General Mills. In college, Ray was active in the Society for the Advancement of Management and the American Marketing Association. He was awarded membership in the Beta Gamma Sigma honorary business fraternity and was always proud of his invitation to join the Phi Beta Kappa Nation Honor Society.

Ray began his 35-year professional marketing research career with General Mills and eventually retired from Hunt Wesson, Conagra. He was part of teams that developed many new consumer products including Total Cereal, Instant Potatoes, Orville Redenbacher’s Gourmet Popping Corn, Hamburger Helper, Hunt Snack Pack Puddings and Manwich Sandwich Sauce (“A sandwich is a sandwich but a Manwich is a Meal.”)

While working, Ray enjoyed his association with Junior Achievement and the American Marketing Association. He was fortunate to work with many marketing research consultants across the spectrum of specialists and developed long working relationships with many of them.

Ray married Evelyn Voelz in Lake Geneva, WI on September 15, 1956. Together they raised two beautiful daughters, Lynne Lucivansky Pomerantz (deceased) and Karen Lucivansky Livingston, Lake Geneva, WI. Ray attributed his business success to the enduring support of his wife and children.

Ray loved spectator sports, especially football and baseball, and thoroughly enjoyed bowling while playing a gentleman’s game of golf. Once he retired, he really enjoyed traveling, reading, cooking, gardening and singing with the Country Gentlemen Barbershop Chorus, Lake Geneva.

Ray bought into the idea that singing barbershop was more than a hobby. He made many dear friendships with his fellow singers. He and Evelyn enjoyed traveling across the U. S. to attend international barbershop competitions. 

When Ray and Evelyn returned to Lake Geneva to retire, they decided to spend their energies in volunteer work. They served several years as volunteers at the Lake Geneva History Museum and at St. Francis de Sales parish in Lake Geneva, becoming involved in the Hilltoppers, ushering and serving as Eucharistic Ministers to Lakeland Health Care Center and Aurora Lakeland Medical Center. Ray devoted 23 years of service to the Lakeland Medical Center. Some professionals told him there was scientific evidence to show that if one did something for 10,000 hours, he is considered an expert. Since he had recorded more than that many hours at the hospital, Ray was considered an “expert volunteer”.

Ray is survived by his devoted wife Evelyn; daughter Karen (Jim) Livingston, Lake Geneva, WI; grandchildren Joseph Pomerantz, New York, NY; Eve (Todd McGarvey) Pomerantz, Washington, D.C. and Rachel Pomerantz, Philadelphia, PA.  Ray is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the music ministry of St. Francis de Sales Church, Lake Geneva.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday July 16, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. at St. Francis deSales Catholic Church.  Visitation will be Thursday from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at the Derrick Funeral Home.  Due to restrictions at church of only 50 people in the building for the Mass, friends and family are encouraged to pay their respects to Ray at the funeral home. Burial and Military Honors will immediately follow mass at Oak Hill Cemetery.

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