Cecil Ezele Ryals

Cecil was born October 5, 1932 in Los Angeles, California; the younger brother of Joann his favorite and only sister. At 17 he enlisted in the United States Army. He was stationed in Japan as a part of the post World War II occupation forces when the Korean War broke out. His unit, the 27th Infantry Regiment, the Wolfhounds, was called upon with other to stop the unchecked advance of the North Korean Army in the battle of the Pusan Perimeter. In some of the fiercest fighting of the war, over the summer of 1950 Cecil’s unit distinguished itself and he was wounded twice earning three bronze service stars and two purple hearts.

After the war he came home, married Nancy and moved to Utah to become a land surveyor. Being a California boy, he did not own a coat and had only seen snow in Korea, but winter surveying in the mountains of Utah, Wyoming and Montana taught him his craft. During their time in Utah, Cecil and Nancy had a son and daughter. After returning to California a second daughter was born.

Cecil’s surveying carrier lasted 58 years, and included helping start one of the largest Engineering Consulting firms in California and starting and owning his own surveying company, Right-of-Way Engineering, for 15 years. Additionally, he gave many people their start and ultimately their careers’ in surveying and related professions. He is survived by his wife Nancy, his three children and five grand children.