Ray Thielbar was with me nearly from the beginning in creating the North American Bear Center, on the board, eventually vice-chairman, and then working to beautify the Bear Center with his beautifully carved signs as seen here.
One of Ray's signs
He was known to the community in so many ways. He had a rich bass voice we loved hearing in his barbershop quartet and gospel quartet. Shortly after arriving in Ely in the early 1990’s, he brought all the Ely churches together by creating the annual Thanksgathering event held each year around Thanksgiving in Ely Baptist Church with choirs from the various churches taking their turns. Each year for over two decades, this gathering was the biggest church event of the year. The music and congregational singing was spectacular, highlighted by his quartet.
We were close friends who shared a love for bears and nature.
Now, with his death at 86 on December 28, the outpouring of comments by people who will miss him is a reflection of who he was.
He and his wife Rose wrote a book “Rooted in Rocky Soil,” about their lives together (available on Amazon), which won honorable mention in the Northeastern Minnesota book awards in 2019.
I am thankful for his life and all that he and his wife Rose did for bears.
Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center