Raymond Dean Schlueter, 88 of Sterling, CO, passed away Saturday, February 8, 2025. Viewing with family to receive friends will be held from 3-5:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 19, at Halouska Family Chaney-Reager Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, February 20 at Trinity Lutheran Church with Reverend James R. Nash as officiant. The service will conclude at the church.

Raymond was born on December 4, 1936, in Proctor, CO to Henry Schlueter and Anita Wilkins. The untimely death of his father forced the family to leave the farms and move to Sterling, CO in 1937. Ray attended Sterling schools and graduated from NJC. He excelled in sports, football, baseball, and wrestling; baseball being his favorite. He was fielder on the Sterling Tiger team that won that school's first State baseball championship in 1953, playing Delta, CO 11-4.

He also played Legion Baseball in the summers. He worked various jobs to supplement a baseball scholarship to C.U. which really became too expensive, and he left school, returning to Sterling to drive big rigs for a local cattle co. and May Flower.

In early 1960, he went on a blind date and met a new hospital nurse, Betty Marie Amen, they married on October 9, 1960, at Trinity Lutheran Church celebrating 64 years of marriage. In late 1961 a daughter Carol Lee was added to the family. They moved to Greeley in January of 1962 for Ray to attend college at UNC graduating with a bachelor's degree in science and coaching as well as a master's degree. Ray's teaching certificate took the family to Anthony, New Mexico for 9 years where a second daughter Laura Lynn was added to the family. During these years his sports changed to playing catcher in softball for many local teams, Fish's Pharmacy, and Cotter Corp. where he was invited to play at the world tournament in Chicago. A science teaching/coaching opportunity opened at RE-1 Schools, and he returned to Sterling in 1973.

His greatest achievement was coaching the Sterling Tigers to their second state baseball championships in 1992 & their third in 1995. He was also named the 4 A Colorado coach of the year in 1992 &1995.

Ray coached the Colorado All State High School dream team for two years at Mile High Stadium in Denver. Ray retired after nearly 40 years of teaching and coaching. He then pursued a career in crop adjusting and worked into his early 80's.

Ray was always gracious and thankful for those around him. He loved his Lord and served him in many ways at church. His passion was his family and enjoying their activities sports, hunting, fishing, and the great outdoors.

He was preceded in death by his parents Henry and Anita; 5 sisters Elizabeth, Gloria, Darlene, Gwendolyn and Marjorie and 5 brothers Ernest, Adolf, Vernon, Harold, (he was killed in action) and Edward.

Ray is survived by his wife Betty; daughters Carol Schlueter and Laura Haile; 2 grandchildren, Justin (Tamara) Dugan and Cassie (Ethan) Phelps all of Sterling; 3 great grandchildren Memphis, Stella, Myles and a 4th to be here in July; brother Arnold Schlueter of Farmington, N.M; brother-in-law Charles Amen of Sterling and sister-in-law Jeanne Crouch. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 732 Clark St., Sterling, CO 80751.