Ray Walter Nilsson

On Sunday, January 24, at exactly noon, Ray Nilsson gently slid out of this life and into the next. As he wished, he was at his home, surrounded by friends and family. We will miss him, but rejoice in knowing that he is in heaven with his wife and one true love, Ruth. Ray was born on August 9, 1924 in Berkeley, California to Nils and Selma Nilsson, Swedish emigrants. While attending Albany High School, Ray met the love of his life, Ruth Taveira. Ray lettered in both football and track. Upon graduation in 1943, Ray enlisted in the Army Air Corps, where he served as an aircraft mechanic until war’s end. During 1944, while stationed at a fighter training base in Venice Beach, Florida, Ray and Ruth were married. After the war, Ray studied criminal justice at University of California Berkeley, served in the Air National Guard and worked nights at the Standard Oil Company refinery in Richmond. His law enforcement career began in 1948 when he joined the Berkeley Police Department. Since Ray loved the outdoors, hunting and fishing, in 1956 he started a 30 year career with the California Dept. of Fish and Game as a Warden. He and the family were stationed in Foresthill until 1969, when he was promoted to Patrol Captain in Indio. During 1972, Ray transferred to Yreka as Patrol Captain for Siskiyou County, where he retired in 1986. Ray was extremely ethical and honorable and treated all with dignity and respect. He was such a diplomat that he often was thanked as he handed out tickets! During retirement Ray enjoyed horse pack trips into the mountains, hunting and finally ocean fishing every summer in Crescent City. Even after Ruth passed away in 2001, he continued his summer sojourns until his stroke at the age of 89. For the past two years Ray was able to live at home with the help of several in-home health care “ladies” that he referred to as his “angels”. Ray and Ruth had four children, Ken (Cheryl) Nilsson, Vicki (Gary) Campbell all of Foresthill, Tim (Debbie) Nilsson, Yreka and Kurt (Sharon) Nilsson, Chico. Ray is also survived by 9 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by brothers, Carl and Rolph. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 6th at Girdner Funeral Chapel in Yreka, California at noon. A reception will follow at Covenant Chapel, 200 Greenhorn Road. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be sent to Covenant Chapel or Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Chaplaincy, 305 Butte Street, Yreka, California 96097.

Ray Walter Nilsson

August 9, 1924 - January 24, 2016