Laurence W. Ramey passed into eternal life on Dec. 1, 2010. Visitation will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 6, at the Chaney -Reager Funeral Home. Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, at Riverside Cemetery. The Rev. Michelle Witherspoon of First Presbyterian Church, will officiate. Because of previous commitments by other family members, the memorial service will be held on Dec. 20 at the First Presbyterian Church at 11:00 a.m. with services concluding at the church.

Laurence was born on Oct. 7, 1903, to William and Della Holden Ramey at their ranch near Iliff. He was the fourth of five sons. The other sons were Raymond, Victor, Loyd and Paul Sr. All but Paul Sr. made their homes in Logan County.

Laurence lived most of his life in Logan County. The only time he did not live in the county was the two years he attended the University of Colorado in 1923-24.

In 1908, William and Della moved to Sterling so that the boys could attend a better school. Laurence attended Logan County High School (LCHS) and was on the football team.

In 1918 he first met a young girl, Sarah Dersham. Sarah was in the class that was a year behind him, but he was too bashful to ask her out. He met Sarah again at CU. When both of them had returned to Sterling, he worked up the nerve to ask her out. They were married on July 8, 1927. They had three children: Annabelle, born in 1928; Griffith, born in 1931, and Ronald, born in 1938.

Laurence farmed and raised cattle in Iliff and Kelley area for years. He had several quarters of dry land in the Kelley area, which he kept an active interest in. In 1937, after 27 severe hailstorms in nine years, plus a Great Depression, he joined forces with his brothers, Raymond and Loyd, to open and operate a petroleum business, Ramey Oil Co. This business prospered and grew for the next 15 years, adding the Ferguson Ford tractor and the New Holland hay baler. In 1953, the farm supply business was sold to Lewis and Keith Ramey, Loyd`s sons, and the oil business was sold to Phillips 66 petroleum.

In 1953, Laurence and Sarah built a new house in the Ramey-Ragatz addition, which he had brought into the city of Sterling.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Laurence was an active volunteer for the Cooperating Ministries. In 1992 he was recognized as their Outstanding Volunteer.

On June 8, 1977, Laurence and Sarah celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Sarah passed away on Feb. 7, 1978, after a long battle with cancer.

Laurence and Sarah worked on the LCHS 50th Class reunion for the classes of 1922 and 1923. Also working on the committee was Tillie Krumbach Lantz, a fellow classmate from the class of 1922. After Sarah`s death, Laurence and Tillie started playing cribbage and bridge together. Tillie had been previously married to John Lantz, who passed away in 1950. There were two daughters from this marriage: Jo Ellen who was born in 1933 and passed away in 1948, and Jeni who was born in 1937. Laurence and Tillie were married on May 26, 1979, at the First Presbyterian Church with the full blessing of both families.

Laurence was active in the First Presbyterian Church, joining it in 1919, a year before the current church was built. He served as a deacon and elder many times. He was the oldest living member of the church. Laurence was also a member of Sterling Masonic Lodge, the Royal Arch Masons, the Knights Templar, Eastern Star and White Shrine. He received his 65-year Masonic pin in May 2007.

In August 2002, the Lion`s Club Cowboy Breakfast recognized Laurence as one of Logan County`s Outstanding Pioneers. In 2007 he served as the Logan County Fair Grand Marshall.

He is survived by his daughter, Annabelle Ramey Fournier of Englewood; his sons, Griffith D. Ramey of Avondale, Ariz., and Ronald L. Ramey of Milliken; and step-daughter, Jeni Lantz Forbes of Fort Collins. Also surviving are five grandchildren, six step-grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, several step-great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter, plus many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by both of his parents; his five brothers, his wife of 50 years, Sarah Dersham Ramey; his second wife of 12 years, Tillie Krumbach Lantz Ramey; and son-in-law, Arnold L. Fournier, Jr.

If desired, a gift may be made to the First Presbyterian Church Scholarship Fund or to the Colorado Boys Ranch, in Laurence`s memory, in lieu of flowers.