Peter Frederick Rayner

Peter Frederick Rayner, 90, passed away peacefully on April 30th, 2023. His children and family sent him with love, hugs and kisses to join the love of his life, his wife, Mary, who preceded him in death October 11, 2022.

Peter was born February 3rd, 1933 at Primrose Hill in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England, the only child of Ernest & Florence Helena (née Battye) Rayner. Peter attended Stile Common grade school and graduated from Huddersfield College grammar school at age 16. He worked in accounting for Martin Sons & Co., a textile mill, where he met his future wife, Catherine Mary Firth, he was 16 and she was 15. He continued his education at Huddersfield Technical College, attending night school to study accounting, until he was drafted into the Royal Air Force at age 18. He served 3 years in the accounting section at various locations in the United Kingdom.

After being honorably discharged from the RAF, he worked in the accounting office of Hanson Transport and then took a position at Brook Motors Ltd in various administration departments. While at Brook Motors, he married his true love Mary on June 4th, 1955, at St. Matthews Church of England in Kirkheaton, Yorkshire. During his time at Brook Motors, the couple was blessed with the birth of their two sons and moved to Swansea, Wales. In 1963, Peter was offered a position as a commercial manager with the American subsidiary of Brook Motors that would take him and his small family to the suburbs of Chicago. They moved to Palatine, Illinois and welcomed their two daughters to the family. In 1972, the company was closed, and although Peter was offered a position back in England, they decided to make the United States their permanent home. Peter found a position with Johnson Electric Coil Co in Elmhurst, Il as a comptroller and board member. When the company decided to move Antigo, WI in 1979, he packed up his family once again and moved to the lake house in Kempster. He worked for Johnson Electric Coil until his retirement in 1998.

Peter enjoyed life to the fullest. He loved camping trips out west, downhill skiing, fishing, playing cards with friends, square dancing and traveling the world, all with his loving wife by his side. Peter and Mary were active members of the Antigo Gateway Squares for nearly 40 years. He spent his retirement wintering in Texas and spending summers with family and friends at the lake in Kempster. He spent his life dedicated to his wife and children. He took pride in his work and home and greatly valued the friends he made. He will be remembered by all who knew him as a kind-hearted English gentleman. We will hold his warm smile in our hearts forever.

He is survived by his children, David (Cheryl) Rayner of Evergreen CO, Stephen (Christine) Rayner of Kingman, AZ, Andrea (Thane) Rasmussen of Merrill, WI and Beverly (Andy) Grabow of Appleton, WI. He will also be remembered by his 14 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 7 great-great grandchildren.

In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by an aunt, Ethel Rayner, in-laws, Arnold and Ida Firth, sisters-in-law, Audrey and Betty and his brother-in-law Colin.

A funeral service for Peter will be held on Sunday, May 7, 2023 at 3:00 PM at Strasser-Roller Funeral Home. Visitation will take place at the funeral home prior to the service from 1:00 PM until the time of the service.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Hands with Hearts, Aspirus Palliative Care nurses in Wausau, and Strasser-Roller Funeral Home.