Ray Sherman STILTZ

STILTZ, ZAMUDIO, BEVILACQUA, BAUDOIN, BEARDSLEY, SLAIKEU, JONES, LEHMAN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:55

Ray Sherman Stiltz
December 4, 1934 ---- June 10, 2020

Ray “Bud” Stiltz (85) of Midlothian, TX (formerly Victorville, CA for 59 years) passed away quietly shortly after dinner on June 10, 2020 at Midtowne Assisted Living in Midlothian. Ray moved to Texas in May 2018 to reside with his daughter (Connie) and son-in-law (Tony), and then moved into Cedar Bluff Assisted Living in Mansfield, TX August 2019.

Survivors include his children, Darcy Zamudio (Louie) of Victorville, CA, Connie Bevilacqua (Tony) of Midlothian, TX, Tracy Baudoin (Scott) of Victorville, CA, and Sharm Stiltz (Heather) of Apple Valley, CA. Brothers and sisters David (Chris) of Des Moines, IA, Greg (Kathy) of Eagle Grove IA, Dolores Beardsley of Whitehall, Wisconsin, and Fern Slaikeu of Clarion, IA. He also is survived by (13) grandchildren and (22) great grandchildren who loved him very much. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Forbus and Myrtle Stiltz, Wayne Jones, stepfather, brother Larry, (3) brothers (2) sister in-laws, mother-in-law Ruby and wife Gail.

Ray was born in Irvington, IA on December 4, 1934. He grew up in Livermore, IA and graduated from Livermore High in 1953. He served in the National Guard as a tank operator (Reserve) from December 1952 to April 1961. He married Gail Lehman from Humboldt, IA on February 17, 1956. They made their way to California with two small daughters in a blue Rambler in 1959. Brother Larry and his family were already stationed at George Air Force Base VV, Ca. He started out as a carpenter building houses and then worked at the Barrel House Liquor Store from 1960-1983. He then became a Christian school administrator for Agape Christian Academy from 1983-1986. He was the Personnel Director for Victor Valley Hospital from 1986-1988 and then joined Adelanto School District as a custodian from 1989-1999. He retired from there at age 65.

Ray had suffered two big strokes in 1995 and 2003 and recently had been experiencing TIA’s and vascular dementia the last four years. His last few months were difficult for him mentally and we feel our world situation had a play in his declining health. He was eager to move upward to be with “Momma”. Ray was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, uncle, grandfather and great grandfather, and brother in Christ. He loved the Lord and shared that passion with his family and friends all his life. He was active in the churches he attended by teaching Sunday school with his wife when the girls were younger and then the youth group as they got older. He was a leader in the Royal Rangers boys program also as he raised his son and often helped out with Girl Scouts activities of which the whole family was involved in for years. He prepared meals for the Full Gospel Business Men’s dinner meetings alongside his wife and enlisted his three daughters as food servers each month. He had a passion for carpentry and woodworking and he was very good at it. His home that was once filled with all his handiwork, is now in the homes of his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, other family members and friends. Ray loved music. Some favorites were polka, old and new gospel, oldies, big band and the Bill Gaither homecoming family. He also enjoyed camping and fishing. Several camp trips included three of the four families together. Special times and the grandkids loved it. He enjoyed family outings to Castle Park and Magic Mountain and taking us all up to Silverwood Lake where 25 or more of us got together for fun in the sun and swimming. Deep-sea fishing was fun and he shared those experiences with his daughters and son. Often Ray and Gail would travel to Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah to visit family. They were there for life-saving surgeries, graduations, and weddings. Family reunions were often held in Las Vegas and many members traveled quite a distance to be a part of that over the years. Ray and Gail liked to travel and they made it to Hawaii a few times, Seattle, the Grand Canyon, Colorado, Yosemite, and Sedona. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and not feeling comfortable having a service, we are utilizing the funeral homes website where you can click on Ray’s obituary to view the memorial video we made and share a story or memory, add a picture to his wall, etc. It’s a perfect solution for not being able to join us physically in remembering Ray.

Plans will be made at a later time on where to spread Ray and Gail’s ashes. It was their wish to be cremated so we will continue to hold onto to them a little while longer. The family will miss Ray dearly but we have precious memories to keep us strong until we meet again. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers over the last several weeks.

We appreciate you and each comment and card shared with us either by phone, mail or on social media. God bless! Darcy Zamudio, Connie Bevilacqua, Tracy Baudoin, Sharm Stiltz.