Ray Gene Palenske

Ray Gene Palenske, 74, of Lenexa, Kansas, formerly of Alma, Kansas, died June 22, 2024, the result of a UTV accident southwest of Alma.

Ray was born November 29, 1949, in Wamego, Kansas, the son of Roy and Edna (Laging) Palenske. He attended local grade school and graduated from Alma High School. He then graduated with an Animal Sciences degree from Kansas State University. Ray completed six years serving in the Kansas National Guard.

Ray worked the majority of his adult life as a cattle buyer for Iowa Beef Processors (IBP), which later became Tyson Foods. He began his career in 1976 and retired in 2021, after 45 years with the same company. Ray also operated the family farm southwest of Alma, and developed and managed rental properties.

Ray was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying fishing and hunting. He was a world traveler and traveled throughout North America and Europe, took a photo safari in Kenya, hunted caiman in Venezuela, and fished on the Amazon River. His philosophy was to “live for the moment” and no matter what, “life goes on”.

You did not need to know Ray well to realize that family and friends were of the utmost importance to him. He loved his family dearly, treasuring the many family vacations and believing that food tastes better when eaten with family. Ray was a loyal and devoted friend and deeply valued times spent with friends, many of which he had for his entire life.

Ray married Trudy Zeller on September 6, 1969 and have three children together. They were later divorced.

Ray is survived by his children, Debra Burton (Shawn), Basehor, Kansas; Brian Palenske, Basehor, Kansas; and Charla Rasmussen (Rob), St. Paul, Nebraska; his grandchildren, Lauren Hein (David), Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Celia Knox, Chicago, Illinois; Mackenzie Rasmussen, Allison Rasmussen, both of St. Paul, Nebraska; and Christopher Palenske, Basehor, Kansas; his companion, Anita Renk, Lenexa, Kansas; and numerous other relatives and friends. Ray was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Gary Palenske.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am, Monday, July 1, 2024, at Campanella and Stewart Funeral Home in Wamego, Kansas. Burial with military honors will follow in Fairview Cemetery, southwest of Alma. Ray will lie-in-state, beginning at 3:00 pm, on Sunday, June 30, 2024, and the family will greet friends from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm. They suggest any memorial contributions be sent to the Ray Palenske Memorial Fund, which may be sent in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 48, Wamego, Kansas, 66547. Online condolences may be made at www.campanellastewart.com.