Ray W. Swisher, 96, of Warrensburg, died Friday, Feb. 12, at his residence.

The family will receive friends from 1 P.M. until service time Wednesday at Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home in Warrensburg. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Interment will follow in the Warrensburg Memorial Gardens Cemetery Mausoleum. Pallbearers will be Ray Little, Doug Swisher, Ray Kiser, George “Bill” Hash, Bob Hutton, Robert Trott, Jim Singleton and Dwight Stephens.

Ray was born Sept. 2, 1919, the son of Henry Samuel and Blanche (Boothe) Swisher, in rural Southeast Johnson County, near Leeton, Missouri.

Ray graduated from Leeton High School. After high school he worked at various jobs, including wartime factory work and farming.

On July 19, 1941, Ray was united in marriage to Frances A. Barrow, in Stover, Missouri.

Ray owned and operated Swisher Grain Company, in Centerview, Missouri, from the mid-1950s until the mid-1970s. In 1965, Ray opened Louie’s Farm & Home, known today as Swisher’s, on Hwy 13 N in Warrensburg. In the following years, Ray, along with other partners, opened Farm & Home stores in Lebanon, Missouri; Miami, Oklahoma; and Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Ray enjoyed hunting, fishing and riding horses. He also enjoyed participating in trail rides and touring the country with his wife Frances in their motor home. He was a member of the Missouri Foxtrotter Association, the Truman Lake Ramblers RV Club, Elks Lodge No. 673 in Warrensburg, and was also a member of the Free Masons and Ararat Shriners.

Ray is survived by his son, Richard Swisher and wife Lisa of Warrensburg; grandchildren, Ray Evans Little and wife Sarah of Stillwater, Oklahoma, Stephanie (Swisher) Kiser and husband Ray of Warrensburg, Doug Swisher of Great Bend, Kansas; five great-grandchildren, Blake and Connor Little of Stillwater, Oklahoma, Addison Long, Mackenzie Kiser, and Cynthia Kiser, of Warrensburg.

Ray was preceded in death by his wife of 73 years, Frances, in November 2014; daughter, Sandra (Swisher) Maguire; son-in-law, Mike Maguire; brothers, Jean Edwin Swisher and Max Boothe Swisher.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Warrensburg Senior Center and can be left in care of the funeral home.

The family would like to express a special thank-you to Ray’s caregivers from Amy’s Loving Care and Crossroads Hospice.