Edward Anthony Raventon

March 23, 1948 ~ February 21, 2026

Edward A. Raventon, 77, Garretson, SD, died peacefully at home on Saturday, February 21, 2026, surrounded by loved ones.

No service is planned at this time.

Edward Anthony Raventon was born on March 23, 1948, in St. Louis, MO, the first of nine children to Edward William Kuntscher and Magdalena (Kulschar) Kuntscher. He grew up in Florissant, MO, spending as much time outdoors as possible with his best friend Lloyd. Edward loved the Missouri River. He was a Boy Scout and even achieved his Eagle Scout rank as a young teenager. He was invited and attended Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.

Edward’s family moved to Apple Valley, MN when he was 16 years old. He graduated from Rosemount High School in 1966. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in Secondary Education from St. Thomas College in St. Paul, MN. After teaching high school English, he began working with Minnesota State Parks as an Interpretive Naturalist at several parks, including Blue Mounds State Park and Pipestone National Monument.

Edward traveled to New Mexico and was offered positions with New Mexico State Parks and State Historical Monuments where he designed and managed Visitor Services and at several other parks and monuments. On moving to New Mexico, he took the name of a ghost town from the 1800’s in Lincoln County known as Raventon. He also loves ravens.

In 1981, Edward moved his family to South Dakota where he worked for South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks. He designed several state parks, including the original signage at Palisades State Park and was the state’s first Park Naturalist. Early on, he trained local seasonal Naturalists to work at all the parks. In 2012, he planned, designed, and was the first Naturalist at Good Earth State Park at Blood Run.

Edward loved to travel around the U.S. while working at National Parks and Monuments. A few being Agate Fossil Bed, The Great Sand Dunes, George Washington’s Birthplace and Scottsbluff Monument. He was an active, engaging man, even helping and teaching students with their creative writing. He was a published author of three books-“Island in the Plains”, “A Piece of Paradise-A Story of Custer State Park” and “Buffalo Country”. He finished his fourth book about his travels in western states. The manuscript is headed to a publisher. His love of the outdoors was fierce. In one of his books, he describes how the land was formed, chronicles the fantastic prehistoric animals that came and went, and tells stories of the humans-natives and settlers alike-who lived on this land. He was an amazing lobbyist, geographer, historian, freelance writer and outdoor photographer. He worked as a planner, exhibit designer, nature center/museum director, monument ranger and park superintendent.

Edward is survived by his son, Miles, of CO; loving daughter, Mariah Eve Douglass, son-in-law Brad, and grandchildren, Brock and Phoebe of AZ; his sweet sisters, Magdalena Nelson and Monica Maixner, of MN; and five other siblings; as well as his dear friend, VKB, of SD. Edward was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Magdalena; and brother, Michael Joseph.

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