Ray Gaesser

Mass of Christian Burial for Ray Gaesser, 73, of the Corning/Lenox area will be held Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 10 a.m., at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Lenox. Visitation will be held Friday, September 18, 2026 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church from 4 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed towards Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund or The Ray Gaesser Scholarship Fund. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.cummingsfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Ray Gaesser, 73, of Corning, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, September 5, 2026. He was born in Mariah Hill, Ind., to Andrew and Marie (Bankford) Gaesser on September 14, 1952.

As a teenager in Indiana, Ray took over the daily activities at his family farm after his father’s passing when Ray was just 15 years old.

He married his wife, Elaine (Meny) Gaesser, on November 19, 1977, and began Gaesser Farms at Corning that same year. Starting with a few acres, the family eventually expanded the operation to roughly 6,000 acres of owned, rented, and custom-farmed ground.

Gaesser spent nearly five decades building an Iowa farm while becoming a national agricultural leader known for conservation, renewable energy, and a willingness to tackle difficult issues with a pragmatic, always positive message. Ray felt farmers always accomplished more by working together. Ray was often quoted as saying, “When we all work together, we all benefit.”

He was President of the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board, an active member and President in the Iowa Soybean Association, President of the American Soybean Association, Commissioner and Chairman (July of 2025-2026) of the Department of Transportation, Chairman of the Iowa Conservative Energy Forum, Farm Foundation Fellow and a board member, Co-Chair of the Conservation Infrastructure Initiative, Co-Chair of Iowa Smart Agriculture, and was also a board member of the Solutions of the Land.

Over the years, Ray has been presented with many awards, including the 1999 Lenox Rotary Rural/Urban Good Citizen Award, the 2012 Master Farmer Award, and the 2018 Distinguished Leader Award from the American Soybean Association.

Ray is survived by his wife Elaine (Meny) Gaesser of Corning Iowa, his daughter Jennifer Gaesser of Creston, Iowa, and his son Chris (Shannon) Gaesser of Lenox, Iowa; one brother, Bob (Ruth) Gaesser of Dale, Ind.; three sisters, Kathy (Mark) Nolan of Indianapolis, Ind., Linda (Gary) Droege of Wadesville, Ind., Mary (Dan) Fischer of Ferdinand; Sister-in-Law, Mona Gaesser of Gentryville, Ind.; one aunt Betty Nord of Chandler, Ind.; eight nieces and nephews; twelve great nieces and nephews.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Marie Gaesser; brothers David Gaesser and Larry Gaesser.