Vincent Edward Rauen

Vincent E. "Vince" Rauen, age 58, Goodwin, died peacefully on Sunday morning, June 7, 2015 at his home northeast of Goodwin. Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 11, 2015 from 4-7 PM at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg with a Liturgical Wake/Prayer service being held at 7PM. Visitation will continue on Friday in the Church after 9AM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, June 12, 2015 at 10:30 AM with The Reverend Ken Koster celebrating in the Holy Rosary Catholic Church at Kranzburg with burial following in the Holy Rosary Cemetery. The organist will be Eileen Lindner with LeeAnn Maag the soloist. The casketbearers will be Brad Severson, Brian Parker, Bill Wolf, Chad Rassmussen, Tim Rassmussen, Jason Winter, Mike Winter, and Shannon Issacson. The family is requested to meet in the Holy Rosary Auditorium at 10AM Friday to attend the Mass. There will be a luncheon served in the auditorium following burial. He was born Vincent Edward Rauen on September 23, 1956 near Lake Ellis, Altamont, SD, the son of Joseph Henry and Myrtle Irene(Bublitz)Rauen. He attended school at the District Rush Lake #44, then at Altamont and later Clear Lake. At the age of 12 he began building grain bins which became his career, owing his own business for the past 10 years - VR Construction. On November 15, 2008 he was united in marriage to Patty (Popham) Zellner at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg. The couple has lived northeast of Goodwin since that time. Vince needed to retire from working full time to health issues. He was diagnosed with cancer two years to the day of his death. Vince had the attitude also that he was not afraid of his death; he wanted all to know that he too said "I go to prepare a place for you". His upbeat attitude and not being afraid of what was next will be remembered by all. Vince enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, traveling, hanging with family, tinkering around the farm and being with his "Sweetie". He will long be thought about for his infectious smile, his laugh heard by many and that twinkle in his eye left everyone wondering - what he was up to now!

Preceding him in death were his parents, Myrtle and Joseph Rauen, mother-in-law, Anna Mae Popham, and two sisters in infancy.

Survivors include his wife, Patty Rauen of Goodwin, children, Renee (Matthew) Neu of Sioux Falls, SD, Derrick (Carrie) Rauen, Summit, SD, Greg (Jaclyn) Rauen of Brookings, SD and Colter and Krista Zellner, Goodwin, SD; grandchildren: London, Easton, Presley, Beckham, Bennett and his siblings: Henry (Rita) Rauen, Mary (Gordon) Severson, Marcia (Francis) Parker, Julie (Bob) Seckler, Carl (Margaret) Rauen, Rita (Bob) Smith, Anita (Terry) Kenyon, and Roger (Rhonda) Rauen. Vince also is survived by his in-laws: father-in-law: Lynell Popham and Brothers/Sisters in laws: Rich Popham, David (Sandy) Popham, Ken (Theresa) Popham, Jeff (Tracy) Popham, amd Lori (Paul) Kraai.

Funeral arrangements are announced by the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com

Why Do People Say, "Keep Your Fork"? There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things in order, she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. "There's one more thing," she said excitedly. "What's that?" came the Pastor's reply. "This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the Pastor. The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!" So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?" Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come." The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman goodbye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She knew that something better was coming. At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled. During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.