Raymond A. Wilhite

July 10, 1926- Oct. 13, 2021

With all my love from his youngest granddaughter

Raymond Wilhite, of Hood River, lived a long life until joining his beautiful wife Shirley in heaven at the age of 95. He is survived by his sons and their wives: Michael and Nancy, Bruce and Lori and daughter Karen, his three grandsons: Clint, Brian, and Jeffrey; six granddaughters: Teresa, Richelle, Madeleine, Wendy, Stephanie, and Laurel; and seventeen great-grandchildren: Jason, Sadie, Isaak, Otis, Kyra, Sienna, Tiahna, Kaliyah, Wyatt, Karley, Makenna, Naevia, RayLee, Cayden, Baylor, Jackson, and Lively.

He was preceded in death by his wife Shirley and two daughters, Wendy and Cynthia.

A Celebration Of Life is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, at River of Life Assembly, 979 Tucker Rd. Pastor Terry Abbott of River of Life Assembly will officiate.

Raymond was born July 10, 1926, in Columbia Missouri to his parents Raymond Wilhite and Edith Hunt. His mother and Raymond moved to Denver, Colorado to be closer to his ill father, it was a few years following that his father passed away. It was in Denver that he attended East High School where he found himself interested in Electrical Engineering. This interest continued through his younger years until Raymond enlisted in the Navy on his 18th birthday. Soon after enlisting World War II began and Raymond used his abilities in Electrical Engineering to design and perfect missiles.

It was after his tour in the Navy that he met Shirley Carrier, who later became his wife of 62 years. Raymond met Shirley at a First Baptist church function in Denver. They courted for two years and it was in September 1946 that he asked Shirley to be his wife and they were married on November 28, 1946. They spent their first years of marriage in Boulder, Colorado while Raymond attended the University of Colorado, it was here that they had their first child, Cynthia, in 1949. Raymond graduated with a bachelor’s in engineering in 1950.

After graduating, Raymond and Shirley moved to New Mexico where Raymond worked at White Sands Proving Grounds and Douglas Aircraft. There he worked on airborne products and helped to design the glideslope receiver, the marker receiver, and selective calling; all of which are still used today. Following Raymond's career, the family moved to Phoenix, Arizona where son Michael was born in 1951, and then years later to San Mateo, California, where daughter Wendy was born in 1956.

In 1956, the family settled in La Habra, California. Raymond worked for Motorola in L.A. where he commuted daily. They were active members of Temple Baptist Church, where both Raymond and Shirley taught Sunday school. In 1959, their second son, Bruce, was born.

It was in 1964 that Raymond and Shirley lost their daughter, Wendy, to childhood Leukemia at the age of 8. In 1966 Raymond and Shirley’s youngest child, Karen, was born.

As a young boy, in Columbia Missouri, Raymond ate apples out of a box that had a beautiful snow-covered mountain on it. This box of apples was from the Hood River Valley and in those moments Raymond knew he would some day move to the valley to become an apple farmer. In 1972 the couple visited Hood River and later In 1975, made the dream a reality when they moved their family from La Habra, California to a 50 acre apple and pear orchard in the Hood River Valley.

Raymond devoted his time to the orchard as he taught himself how to care and grow the fruit. Raymond became a successful orchardist for remainder of his life, and passed this interest down to his son, Bruce.

Raymond and Shirley were active members in the Assembly of God Church, later known as the River of Life Assembly. The couple held bible studies in their beautiful home on Thompson Road. Raymond would sit for hours studying the bible and underlining his favorite passages. He was a true man of God and lived his life through the teachings that he studied in the Bible.

Raymond loved his family. He enjoyed holidays spent gathered in the living room near the fire. He would sit with his favorite dog Mitzy or in later years, Annie on his lap, and smile as Shirley took the lead in the family gatherings. He was smitten by his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren and had a special way of making each feel as if they were his favorite.

In later years, Raymond and Shirley enjoyed road trips together pulling along their trailer. Their favorites were always the red rocks of Moab, and the beauty of Jackson Hole and the Tetons. At home, Raymond loved the beauty the Hood River Valley offered. He could often be found sitting in his chair, staring out the window, looking at Mount Adams.

Raymond and Shirley enjoyed the simple pleasures together. They enjoyed going to Costco on Sundays and watching their grandchildren on Thursdays. Raymond always had a freezer full of ice cream for after dinner, blueberries frozen to put on top of his cheerios or oatmeal for morning breakfast.

In the years leading up to Raymond's death, he often shared verses that detailed the beauty of heaven. After Shirley passed away in August 2008, all he wanted was to be with her again. He knew that he would be when his time came. A passage often shared was from 1 Corinthians 2:9, “No man has seen, heard, or ever imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love him.”

It was in the days leading up to his death that Raymond was asked, “How can I pray for you?”. Raymond's response was this. “Pray for my grandchildren. Pray that they know God.” Raymond loved his family and all he wanted was for those he loved to also love his God so that they could all be together in heaven again one day.

Raymond will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, a kind friend, and a loyal servant of God.