Ray Christopherson

Ray Christopherson, 71 of Hurley, died on July 12, 2026 at the Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Viborg. Funeral Service will be at 1:00 pm Friday, July 17, 2026 at the United Methodist Church, Hurley. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 pm Thursday, July 16, 2026 at the church with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 pm. Arrangements provided by Hofmeister-Jones Funeral Home.

Ray Martin Christopherson was born on November 3, 1954 at the old hospital in Viborg, SD to Rexwell “Bob” and Florence (Christensen) Christopherson. He grew up on the Christopherson homestead and graduated from Hurley High School in 1973. After attending Mitchell Technical Institute he worked as an electrician. After moving to Wyoming he lived in Wheatland and later worked out of Rapid City as his home base. He joined the electrical workers union and worked all over the western United States on several large projects, mainly power plants. He moved back home where he met and was united in marriage to Shelly Long on June 15, 2000 at Parker. In 2008 they moved onto the Christopherson homestead where they have since resided.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Shelly; a son Ryan (Rebecca) Christopherson, Fallbrook, CA; Shelly’s children, Michael (Amy) Andersen, Sioux Falls, Patty (Greg) Kastenschmidt, Mindoro, WI, Shawn Andersen, Mpls, MN, Amber Miller, Viborg, SD and Tara Andersen, Sioux Falls, SD; 17 grandchildren; a sister Joyce (Carroll) Torberson, Mitchell, SD and a brother-in-law, Ray Hardin, Rapid City, SD. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister Gloria.