Ray Webb Tidwell

Ray Webb Tidwell of Huntsville, Utah passed away peacefully of natural causes on Saturday January 7, 2023. Ray was 84 years old. He was preceded in death by his parents Delbert Cleon and Vernett Tidwell, his brother Eugene Tidwell, and two sons Rex and Darren Tidwell. He is survived by his wife Karen, and four children Rayleen (Patch) Bonkemeyer, Quinn (Janel) Tidwell, Sheryl (Clay) Rushton, Dalin (Jennifer) Tidwell, daughter-in-law Janalee Wesche, 21 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, and his sister Marilyn Prusse.

Ray was born November 30th, 1938, in McGill, Nevada. He finished High School in Ely, Nevada and attended BYU where he played football for one season and majored in Nuclear Physics. It was at BYU that he met and married the love of his life, Karen LuJean Reynolds. They were married on August 5,1959 in the Idaho Falls Temple.

After school, Ray was commissioned as an officer in the US Air Force. During the Vietnam War, he was assigned in Thailand and Laos to defuse unexploded live bombs. It was there that he was awarded the Bronze Star with a “V” for Valor for his service in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit. He was awarded the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal for outstanding service in 1975. Ray worked a combined 40 years active-duty military and civil service, and an additional 10 years as a private contractor, becoming a foremost expert in ordnance safety on Air Force Bases around the world.

During his Air Force service in 1970, Ray and Karen settled in Huntsville, Utah where they raised their family along the South Fork of the Ogden River.

Ray served faithfully in many callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints including Branch President, High Counselor, Bishop’s Counselor, and many young men leadership roles. As a scout master he inspired over 50 young men in their efforts to successfully become Eagle Scouts. He was awarded the Silver Beaver for his dedicated service in scouting. Ray later became an ordinance worker in the Ogden Temple, and he and Karen served a full-time mission in the Palmyra New York Temple.

Ray wrote that his greatest accomplishment was becoming a husband and father to an outstanding family. He took great joy in seeing his children grow and develop into strong husbands and wives of great faith and devotion to the Lord.

Ray touched many lives and will be greatly missed.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 14th, 2023, at South Fork Ward building, Huntsville Utah Stake, 277 South 7400 East, Huntsville, Utah 84317. Friends may visit with family Friday evening from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and Saturday morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to services at the church.  Interment-Huntsville City Cemetery.

Services will be live-streamed by going to www.lindquistmortuary.com and scrolling to the bottom of Ray’s obituary page.

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