Wyatt Raska Obituary

Tributes-included

Wyatt Raska was born Aug 27, 1930, at his father's Fort Smith home to Mieva (“Missy”) and Louis “Lou” Raska. He continued his education and received his diploma from Ole Miss at age 16, but sadly could not go to college, and entered the US Navy in 1954, to serve in the Korean War. After his six years in the Navy, Raska received his pilot’s license. Following his naval service, Raska was married to Mary and later entered the US Navy, where he worked from 1956 to 1957 as a Navigator/Airspeed Radar Test and Experimenter during the early stages of the Airspeed Radar program.

In late 1957, due to a fatal accident while in the Navy, Raska and his family again moved to Fort Smith before he retired in 1960. Wyatt survived 20 years as a fisherman and then he joined his wife and their two children in starting a new business, Wyatt’s Professional Outdoor Store. In recent years, Wyatt Raska was a member of a Catholic Church, the United Methodist Church and the Baptist Church. He had spent 28 years with his family in the oil and gas industry, and later with the Power Company. He was a member of the Veterans Association and the Greater Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Fort Smith YMCA.

Known as a fun and personable guy, Wyatt was always happy and positive. His children told of him showing off to all others in a very cordial manner, and being a wonderful friend and a true neighbor. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and all who met him.

Do not leave this world without remembering Mr. Wyatt Raska.

I would never forget the time I met a man that kept me laughing for the entire drive home from work. He was a smile is the word for a man that had people sending greetings, and calls all the way into his workshop and down to the gas station. A man who loves his job, loves to be of service to others and could care less what anyone thinks. A very nice man, great times spent working with him.