Raymond Ray Pfeiffer, 79, Bismarck, passed away April 13, 2023, at Edgewood on Dominion. Funeral services will be on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at 11:00am at Bismarck Funeral Home. Visitation will be one hour prior to the start of the service.
Ray was born November 9, 1943, to George K Pfeiffer and Alverna Fuchs Pfeiffer in Kansas City, Missouri. The family lived in Houston, Texas through his adult years. Ray graduated from Bellaire High School in 1961. He served his country with a four-year stent in the Air Force working as a mechanic. He then graduated from Lamar Technical Institute in Beaumont, Texas. Ray’s education helped him to continue his lifelong career and passion as a mechanic. In the 60s and 70s he worked as a Mercedes mechanic in Memphis, Tennessee. In the late 70s, he moved to Tyler, Texas and opened STAR Garage, his lifelong dream and goal. Ray’s expertise as a Mercedes mechanic was well known throughout Texas and Louisiana. Ray was a lifelong member of the DeSoto Club of America and proud of his membership.
In the early 80s, Ray met the love of his life on a ski slope, Alvilda Unruh. They met and quickly fell in love and married in Bismarck, North Dakota soon after.
Ray was a man of integrity. All the years they were blessed to be together, he took care of Alvilda with love. They spent the beginning of their marriage in Tyler, Texas. In the later years of the marriage and life, the couple moved to be close to Alvilda’s son, Wayne Unruh and family. They relocated to Bismarck, North Dakota. Ray and Alvilda were loving dog parents to Susie and Buffy. They also had a third dog named Jenny that Ray kindly dubbed “Junkyard Dog”. Ray was a proud grandfather to Jessica Unruh and was always concerned about her car and its condition – as her safety was his primary concern.
Ray was committed to making sure Alvilda always had everything she needed in life and loved her dearly. After Alvilda became ill with Alzheimer’s disease, he went every day to see her and take her a cookie, pudding or fruit cup. He would bring Buffy to visit her often. He said he never resented her in anyway and was so sorry she could not go out to lunch and enjoy her life with her girlfriends like other women get to appreciate.
Ray had an incredible memory and could recall such amazing details. The following is a funny little story told about Ray by his sister. He knows the VIN Numbers from memory on any car he has ever owned. She always thought he was making it up, but she checked it out to verify, and it is true. He also knows the color of every paint that has ever been used on a Mercedes.
Ray leaves behind a sister, Mary Ann Arnott of Iola, Kansas (husband James Arnott), nieces Amy Arnott of St. Louis, Missouri and Amanda Arnott of Newport Coast, California, granddaughter Jessica Unruh of Bismarck, North Dakota and daughter-in-law Mei Unruh of Bismarck, North Dakota, and several cousins.