Raymond I. Greenberg

Raymond I. Greenberg, 84, of Sioux City died Tuesday, April 3, 2007, at his residence.

Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Congregation Beth Shalom, with Rabbi Guy Greene officiating. Burial will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery. There will be no visitation. Condolences may be sent online to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Ray was born May 22, 1922, in Sioux City, the son of Jacob H. and Ethel (Friedman) Greenberg. He was a lifelong Sioux City resident. He graduated from Central High School and attended the University of Iowa. In 1942, he returned home from the University of Iowa to work with his father in their family jewelry business, Greenberg's Jewelers. Greenberg's was founded in 1900 by his father, Jacob, Greenberg, a 13-year old trained watchmaker from Lithuania.

After he joined the business, the company began to blossom. He used his marketing skills and passion for diamonds to bring customers to his store. He built the business by providing customers with the best value at a reasonable price and creative payment plans. His favorite and most well known slogan was "I buy a lot of Diamonds and I sell a lot of Diamonds."

He married Ann Barkin on June 28, 1953, in Lodi, Wis. He was joined in the business by his wife, Ann Greenberg, in 1953, and by his daughters, Elise and Amy, in 1985. Today, Greenberg's Jewelers has eight stores in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.

Ray and Ann have been long time supporters of St. Luke's Regional Medical Center. The Ann and Ray Greenberg Family Center for Labor and Delivery was named after the Greenbergs. They have also established a nursing scholarship for St. Luke's College students. With their help, almost $500,000.00 has been raised for the Children's Miracle Network. He was an avid golfer and Iowa Hawkeye fan.

He was a member of Congregation Beth Shalom, Landmark Masonic Lodge 103 A.F. & A.M., Abu Bekr Shrine Temple and the Downtown Rotary Club.

Survivors include his wife, Ann; three daughters, Elise, Amy and Louise and their husbands, Howard, Scott and Bob; and six grandchildren, Alexa, Jordan, Joshua, Allison, Stacie and Ben.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Henry Greenberg.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Congregation Beth Shalom or the Children's Miracle Network.