Ray Swang served on the North Itasca Electric Board of Directors for several three year terms. He represented the
Northome area with zeal and fierce loyalty. I can remember many times we would be discussing a project or upgrade and
he would say, “What is Northome going to get out of this?”
Ray was also a great jokester, sometimes to his own detriment. I remember a remark he made in front of his beloved
Marlene. She swatted him with her purse and stomped off. I could hear her muttering, “Shees! Shees!” as she left him
standing with a sheepish look on his face.
I will always owe a debt to Ray for teaching me how to talk to farmers. Most coop directors in Minnesota are farmers
and I know nothing about farming so had trouble striking up a conversation with some of these fellows. I noticed that
Ray was always jabbering with complete strangers so watched carefully.
He would walk up to a fellow farmer and simply say, “Getting any rain?” Those seem to be the magic words to start
an unending conversation. I have since learned that there is never the perfect amount of rain.
Thank you for your service and friendship, Ray.
Wes Waller