The Funeral Service was recorded and available to view at: https://youtu.be/dAvQCn_4uCE

Raymond Wentz, age 86, of Harvey, North Dakota, passed away at home on May 11, 2026.  Funeral services will be held at the St. Cecilia Catholic Church of Harvey on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 10:30 a.m.  Visitation will be held at the Hertz Funeral Home of Harvey on Monday, May 18, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.  Prayer service will be held at the Hertz Funeral Home of Harvey on Monday at 7:00 p.m. Burial will be in the St. Cecilia Catholic Cemetery of Harvey.

Raymond was born on June 15, 1939, on the family farm in Benson County northeast of Selz, the son of Peter and Julia (Ludwig) Wentz. He attended the Norfolk #2 rural school through the 8th grade before beginning a lifetime of hard, hands‑on work. He worked for area farmers, then as a carpenter in South Dakota, later contributing to the construction of missile silos in the Minot and Grand Forks areas. In 1973, he began working at the power plants in Beulah, Center, and Velva, finishing his career as a millwright. He retired in 2003.

On June 15, 1965, Raymond married Jessie Joyce Jackson, the love of his life and mother of his children. Her passing on July 4, 2022, was a loss he carried deeply.

A proud and private man, Raymond lived by the values he learned growing up. Entirely self‑taught, he had a natural gift for building, fixing, and understanding how things worked. He believed in living off the land and found great joy in tending his vegetable garden and watching the orchard he planted grow. Though simple in his needs, he was a deep thinker, an avid reader of political writings, and a gifted storyteller whose memories and humor were treasured by those who knew him. Above all, he was a devoted family man whose sacrifices and influence shaped the lives of his children.

Raymond is survived by his son, Lee of Harvey; twin daughters, Rayleen Marie Heritage of Austin, TX, and Kayleen Marie Goodrich of Pahrump, NV; daughter, Julie Ann Wentz of Round Rock, TX; one grandson and two granddaughters; brothers Marvin of Harvey, Albert of Bismarck, Vincent of Minot; sisters Arlene Doolittle of Missouri, Angeline Wentz of Fargo, Beatrice Nelson of Minnesota, Judy Lemer of Fargo, and Marlene Meek of Fargo.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jessie; his son, Patrick; brothers Richard and Al Wentz; and sister Ann Bussert.