Raymond J. Rau

Rochester Hills, MI

Raymond John (Ray) Rau passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on May 24, 2026 at his home in Rochester Hills, MI; age 80 years. Ray was born in Frankenmuth, Michigan to the late Oscar and Evelyn (Schian) Rau on August 16, 1945. He was named after his paternal uncle Raymond E. Rau, a WWII prisoner of war who survived the Baatan Death March in 1942. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church, attended St. Lorenz Lutheran School and graduated from Frankenmuth High School in 1963. Ray earned a BBA degree from Western Michigan University in 1967 and honorably served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1968 to 1974. He married Louise Dolfi in 1970 at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church.

Throughout his career in furniture retail and as a resident of Frankenmuth, Ray held many civic and professional leadership positions including the Frankenmuth Rotary Club, serving as its president in 1991 and 1992; board member of the Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce, Chairman in 2001; Frankenmuth Planning Commission; board member of National Home Furnishings Association (NHFA), serving as NHFA Michigan Chapter President 1989; board member National Interior Design Society, Chairman in 2001; board member of the Michigan Retailers Assoc. , chairman of the Retailers’ Fund in 2002; board member of the American Red Cross, Saginaw County Chapter and member of the Board of Elders from 1996 – 2001 at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church.

Ray began his long furniture career from his home in suburban Detroit as a manufacturer’s representative in 1968 traveling the state of Michigan representing Sanford Furniture and the Schnadig Corporation. He and his wife, Louise, returned to Frankenmuth in 1972 where he became the president/CEO of Oscar Rau Furniture and Interiors and successfully operated and grew his retail business for the next 40 years. In 2002 to 2020, Ray began RJ Rau Management, Inc., a furniture management and liquidation business that operated and managed sales coast to coast in the US including Hawaii. Avid travelers, Ray and Louise visited most of the countries in western Europe, the UK, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Russia, China, Tibet and Cuba, much of the Caribbean, western US and Canada. They spent many happy years vacationing in Hawaii for golf and scuba, which both of them loved. Ray was an avid golfer who claimed two holes in one. His first was at Pelican Sound, his home course in Estero, FL, and his second at Lahinch Golf Club in County Claire, Ireland. Another of his great joys in addition to skiing and boating was to participate in sprint triathlons with his daughters, Allie and Katy and his son-in-law, Mike, and to complete the Cass River Swim in June.

Ray was predeceased by his parents, Oscar F. and Evelyn M. Rau; sisters, Jeannette Adams and Peggy Hill; son-in-law Samuel R. Merrill, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jack and Mary Ann Cheney, brothers William G. Rau and Richard O. Rau. He leaves his wife of 56 years, Louise (Dolfi) Rau, beloved daughters Allegra (Mike) Burch of Shelby Township, MI, and Katherine Merrill of Midland, MI, grandchildren (“the apples of his eye”), Maren and Meredith Burch and James Merrill, many cousins, and beloved nieces and nephews.

Funeral Service will take place on Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, 1030 W. Tuscola, Frankenmuth, Michigan. Ray’s family will receive visitors at Cederberg Funeral Home of Frankenmuth, 590 N. Franklin St. on Wednesday from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and on Thursday at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, The Saginaw Rescue Mission, The Lewy Body Dementia Association 912 Killian Hill Road, SW Lilburn, GA 30047 404-935-6444 lbda@lbda.org, - OR - Charity of donor’s choice.