Dale Raymond Wilde Jr.

Dale Raymond Wilde Jr., age 76, passed from this life while at his residence in Midvale, Utah on February 11, 2025. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to Dale R. Wilde and Mary Smith Wilde on February 18th 1948. While he began his life on 1900 East in Salt Lake City, he spent most of his childhood riding his horse and watering the corn in Holladay, when Cottonwood Lane was still considered the outskirts of Salt Lake City.

Ray and his young wife Jennifer Ann Wilde blazed a new trail by moving their young family to Park City, Utah in 1977 as it teetered between old west mining town and cosmopolitan ski destination. This Mayberry existence allowed them to raise their children Jason Wilde, Deserae Wilde Koldenhoven and Joshua Zachary Wilde in the clean mountain air and small town comfort that he preferred. Despite this preference, his work life and the convenience of living closer to the city, brought him and his family to move to the Salt Lake valley.

Following in his Father’s footsteps, Ray studied engineering at the University of Utah and then took over the engineering firm that was started in his fathers basement, Dale R. Wilde Company. Having also acquired a strong work ethic from his father, he continued to work within this firm until the day of his passing. His daughter Deserae Wilde Koldenhoven, having worked in the family business over the past 25 years, continues this tradition.

He will be remembered for his meticulous handwriting, love and appreciation of beautiful things and fast cars. Ray had a love of watches and their design and precision. He was a lifelong learner, always having a new project or hobby. Unfortunately, he was encumbered by a decline in his health over the last couple of years. His family takes comfort knowing he is finally free from that pain, and we hope he is enjoying laying on his bed with a remote, cheetos, “furry” donuts, and a very boring documentary none of us want to watch.

He is preceded in death by his parents Dale Raymond Wilde and Mary Livingston Smith Wilde, as well as his sister Ellen Louise Wilde ensley(Jack Densley). He is survived by his Sister Mary Jo Sahleen(Gary Sahleen) and Brother Clayton Wilde(Shawna Wilde), his children Jason Richard Wilde, Deserae Koldenhoven (Jeff Koldenhoven), Joshua Zachary Wilde and their Mother Jennifer Ann Wilde, Grandchildren Trevin Koldenhoven, Bailey Koldenhoven, Chet Koldenhoven, as well as Sidwell Linnehan Wilde and Irene Penelope Wilde.