Walter G. Ray

Walter Glenn Ray passed away peacefully in Nephi, Utah, at 2 a.m. on Saturday, October 3, 2026, one day shy of his 89th birthday.

He was born on October 4, 1937, in McNary, Arizona, to Walter Glenn Brown and Mary Smith Peterson. The family relationship dissolved a few years later. When Glenn was 10, his mother married Waldo Ray, who became the father Glenn had been waiting for.

Glenn spent most of his youth in the Snowflake, Arizona, area. At 18, he joined the Air Force. While stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, he met the sweetest girl of his life, Ruth Ann Philips. They soon married and spent the next 22 years traveling together from Ohio to Morocco, England, Arizona, Korea, and California, where Glenn retired after 22 years of service.

After retiring from the Air Force, Glenn moved to Bakersfield, California, where he worked side by side with his oldest son, Walt. He made Bakersfield his home for 40 years. Five years ago, he moved to an assisted living facility in Nephi, Utah. His daughter, Debi Gull, watched over him there, working in the attached building teaching preschoolers. Special thanks to Debi for taking care of dad these past 5 years.

Glenn was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When he met Ruth, she was drawn to the idea of an eternal family. Glenn baptized her a few months after they married. Over the years, he served as a Scoutmaster, branch president, bishop three times, ward mission leader, high councilman and many other church callings.

In the wider community, Glenn was involved with the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary Club, serving one year as its president. He also served on the boards of NAPD, KALC, and CALM.

He was preceded in death by his sweetheart, Ruth; his son Walter G. Ray II; his son-in-law Craig C. West; his grandsons Ryan West and Ian Ray; his parents Waldo and Mary Ray; and his sisters Joan Washburn, Barbara Green, and Margaret Clawson.

He is survived by his brothers Lynn (Doreen) Ray and Waldo (Becky) Ray; his children Teresa West, Debra (Alan) Gull, Matthew Ray, James (Kathy) Ray, Marianne (Jordan) Clark, daughter-in-law Robin Ray, and Rick (Gayle) Dickenson; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson.

Funeral services will be held for Glenn at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - 5600 Panorama Drive, Bakersfield CA 93306 family greeting 10am services to follow at 11 AM on October 17th, 2026. Interment will occur on Monday, October 19th at the Bakersfield National Cemetery at 10:45 am.