Ray Schaap, son of John Schaap and Jennie (Van Dyke) Schaap was born October 31, 1921 on a farm near Rock Rapids, Iowa.  When Ray was three years old they moved to Timber Lake, South Dakota.  After three years going to country schools, he attended school for one year on the Indian Reservation at White Horse, South Dakota where his sister Kathryn was the teacher.  Later they moved to Rowena, South Dakota and in 1935 moved to Sioux Falls where he attended Washington High School and graduated in 1939.  He then attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan and in 1942 entered the U.S. Navy being discharged in 1945.

He was united in marriage to Doris Jungersen on June 22, 1947.  He worked in hardware stores in Sioux Falls and in 1954 purchased the Gambles store in Beresford SD.  After 27 years in business he semi-retired and then opened a collectible and antique store which he ran for 15 more years.

Ray was a member of the American Legion, the VFW and the United Church of Christ in Beresford. He enjoyed dancing, hunting, fishing and playing golf, and especially enjoyed visiting with family and friends.  Ray and Doris spent many winters in Mesa, Arizona.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Doris; his son, Randall and his wife Nancy of Yankton, SD; daughter, Candis and her husband Bernard of Greer, SC; and son, Jeffery and his wife Laura of Davis, CA.  Also surviving are his seven grandchildren, Aaron (Dana) Schaap, Amanda (Paul) Schaap Creviston and Abbie (Matthew) Schaap Bertsch; Alison (Jon) McPheely Lohr and Matthew (Paige) McPheely; Megan Schaap and Zachary Schaap; 12 great-grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces, relatives and friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Cornelius, Andrew and Richard and two sisters, Kathryn and Joanne. (written by Ray Schaap)

Ray Schaap, 94, of Beresford, SD died January 13, 2016 at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls. Funeral services will be 2PM Saturday, January 16, 2016 at the Beresford United Church of Christ. Visitation will be from 12:30-2PM at the church. The family requests memorials can be made to The United Church of Christ in honor of Ray Schaap .