Obituary

Raymond “Ray” Earl Staylor, Jr.

On Friday, March 5, 2021, Raymond “Ray” Earl Staylor, Jr., loving husband, cherished father, and adored brother, passed away after a brief illness at the age of 86. He will be laid to rest at Live Oak Memorial Gardens, Charleston, South Carolina, with Military Honors.

Ray was born on October 13, 1934 to the late Raymond Earl Staylor, Sr. and Jovita Elizabeth (Kaufmann) Staylor of Baltimore, Maryland. Ray served in the United States Navy as an Interior Communications Electrician, prior to being Honorably Discharged in October 1960. He married the love of his life, Linda Annette (Brinson) Staylor, in 1955, and spent over sixty years devoted to his bride. They raised three children where they spent most of their formative years in the West Ashley area of Charleston, South Carolina before embarking on a journey to Mission Viejo, California. Ray was a humble man who was honored to serve his country, but his most beloved accomplishment and number one passion was being with his family.

Ray’s infectious spirit and cheerful warmth made him an adored man, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. His family will lovingly remember him dancing in the kitchen with Linda and humming tunes of any song that came to mind. He never yearned for more than he had and was happy with what life presented him. He was highly revered and forever remembered for his strength, patience, devotion, and compassion.

Ray was preceded in death by his father Raymond, his mother Jovita, and his wife, Linda. He is survived by his three children: Raymond Earl (Jean) Staylor, III, Laura Anne Staylor (Lamar) Chandler, Michael Thomas (Kate) Staylor, his sister, Carol (Joe) D’Amico; his eleven grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

The family requests those who wish to honor Ray’s memory to consider donating in his name to one of the following charities: Wounded Warrior Project (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org), Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org), ALS Association (https://www.als.org), National Kidney Foundation (https://www.kidney.org). Any one of these charities were near and dear to Ray’s heart.

Condolence messages can be shared on a tribute page through O’Connor Mortuary (California) or J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., West Ashley Chapel (South Carolina).