Raphael "Ray" George O'Hare

Raphael "Ray" G. O'Hare, 80, of Waukon, IA, died Saturday, May 15, 2021, at his home. Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 20th, at 11:00 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church, with Fr. John Moser officiating, and burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, both in Waukon. Friends may call from 9:00 AM until time of services on Thursday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Winneshiek Medical Center Hospice at 901 Montgomery Street, Decorah, IA, 52101 or to the American Heart Association. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Raphael George O'Hare was born February 26, 1941, in Waukon, IA, the son of Thomas and Myril (Burroughs) O'Hare. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary's Hanover Catholic Church in rural Waukon. Ray attended Hanover country school and graduated from Waukon High School in 1959. After graduating, he worked at Ivan's Grocery Store in Waukon. On January 28, 1961, he married Karen Spiegler at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dorchester, IA. In 1978, Ray took over Mahoney's Tavern until 1992, when he moved to Main Street to start Ray's Bar and Grill. Retiring in 2006, Ray worked part time at Quillin's.

Ray was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, playing softball, and collecting John Wayne memorabilia. Ray also enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and taking care of his dogs and cats.

Survivors include his wife Karen of Waukon; his children: Kevin (Pam) O'Hare of Kansas City, MO, Jeff O'Hare of Waukon, Brenda (Andy) Howard of Ankeny, IA, Brad (Susan) O'Hare of Waukon, and Amy (Bryce) Phelps of Chester, IA; eight grandchildren: McKayla (Bryce), Harley (Jaedyn), Bryce, Greyson, Creighton, Marcy (Jim), Joey (Katie), and Tommy (Kaitlin); eight great-grandchildren: Brayden, Bradley, MaeLynn, Payton, Kaedyn, Mallory, Elizabeth, and Hudson; and two sisters-in-law: Janet (Burke) Evans of Breezy Point, MN, and Marjorie O'Hare of St. Joseph, MO. He is preceded in death by his parents; three brothers: Joe, Jim, and Thomas O'Hare; a sister Helen Rasmusson; his father and mother-in-law Frank and Evelyn Spiegler; two sisters-in-law: Jean O'Hare and Phyllis Rolfs; and a brother-in-law Kenneth Spiegler.

Honorary casketbearers are his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Casketbearers are Mike and Bob O'Hare, Dick Hermanson, Ray Wacker, and Ron and Dennis Dahlstrom.