Ray Vincent Willardson

Ray V. Willardson passed away peacefully from age-related health complications on May 26, 2025. A beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Ray lived to celebrate his 91st birthday on May 5, 2025.

Ray was born on May 5, 1934 in Ogden, Utah, the son of Vincent C. and Verda C. Willardson. Ray grew up in National City, California. He learned the value of hard work as an employee in his father’s flooring business, and graduated from high school there. He then attended Brigham Young University, earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1956.

While at BYU, Ray met and fell in love with Gloria Elaine Johnson from Salt Lake City, Utah. They were married on May 20, 1955 in the Salt Lake City Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

For the majority of his life, Ray worked in San Diego, first as an accountant and then as a CPA, including many years with Seidman & Seidman, which at that time was one of the “Big Eight” national accounting firms. Ray became a partner of that firm. He later left Seidman & Seidman to establish his own accounting firm, where he employed and trained several younger accountants and other employees. Ray and his associates serviced many private and public clients in Southern California, including various school districts, with their tax, audit and general accounting needs. Towards the end of his career, Ray obtained his real estate broker’s license and went into business for himself, developing and operating two successful grocery stores and a local strip mall in El Cajon, California.

Throughout his married life, Ray’s first priority was always his family. Ray and Elaine had seven children, each of whom has survived him: Kathy Hansen in Draper, Utah; Shauna Oakes in El Cajon, California; Curtis Willardson in Lehi, Utah; Scott Willardson in El Cajon, California; Lori Oberender in Simi Valley, California; Jodi Gardiner in Thousand Oaks, California; and Jennifer Traina in San Diego, California.

Ray is also survived by the love of his life and eternal companion, Elaine Willardson. Ray and Elaine celebrated their seventieth wedding anniversary on May 20, 2025, just six days before his death. As of Ray’s death, he and Elaine had 28 grandchildren and 64 great-grandchildren, all of whom adore him.

Ray was a man of faith and deep devotion to God. He served throughout his life in many callings within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including as a stake missionary, Elders Quorum President, member of the original San Diego Stake High Council, Bishop of the El Cajon Fourth Ward, and as Patriarch of the El Cajon, California Stake. Ray and Elaine also served together as senior full-time missionaries in the California Oakland Mission.

Ray’s favorite way to spend his time was with his family, including camping, fishing, card and board games, horsing around in the family pool, San Diego Padres games, road trips in the family motor home, and multiple family reunions at beautiful resorts in various western states.

In 2021, Ray and Elaine relocated to Utah and since then have lived at Sagewood at Daybreak, a senior living center, where Elaine continues to reside.

Ray will always be remembered by those who knew him well as a man who loved his family, the Church of Jesus Christ, his Savior, and his country. He is also remembered as one who was quick to joke and laugh, with a gift to make others feel important and valued. Ray was a man of deep spirituality who strived to be a humble follower of Jesus Christ in all he did. His greatest wish has always been to live his life so as to qualify to live eternally with his wife, children and posterity. His great hope is that his legacy of faith will live on in the lives of his posterity.

A celebration of life will be held at Sagewood Senior Living 11289 S Oakmond Road, South Jordan, Utah at 1:30pm Saturday May 31, 2025. The funeral will be held at the Hillsdale Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (1634 Hillsdale Rd., El Cajon, CA 92019) on June 7, 2025 at 11:00am. Visitation prior to funeral is 10:00 - 10:45 am at the Hillsdale Chapel. Internment Singing Hills Memorial Park later that day.

By: Mark W. Hansen (son-in-law, husband of Ray’s daughter, Kathy)