Raymond Gularte

Raymond "Ray" Gularte passed away at home Sept. 21, 2023, and God has reunited him with his wife, Lillian. Born Francis Raymond on Nov. 24, 1929, he was the first born of three boys to his parents, Manuel and Rose Gularte. Growing up during the depression, the family had to sell their farm in the Boronda district in 1938 to keep farming in Soledad. Ray attended Soledad elementary schools and graduated from Gonzales High School in 1947. He began dating the love of his life, Lillian Anne Corda, when she was 14 and he was 16. He attended Hartnell College and then Cal Poly SLO until he was recruited by the U.S. Navy during the Korean War; he was certified as a pipe fitter on a Navy Cruiser and honorably discharged after four years. The war did not stop him from marrying his high school sweetheart in 1952; it was a marriage that lasted until Lillian's passing 67 years later. Together they were welcoming, accepting, and put family above all else.

His career was farming. Ray was in partnership with his brother, Bill, on the ranch in Soledad, as well as several other ranches, including where he and Lillian made their home on the Corda Ranch in Gonzales and partnered with his father-in-law Frank Corda. He was part of a group of farmers who founded the Salinas Lettuce Farmer's Co-op, in which the partners shared harvesting and sales of many crops, including asparagus, celery, lettuce, and cauliflower.

Both Ray and Lillian were 4-H all-stars, and with three boys to raise, they became 4-H leaders; Ray taught 4-Hers how to build electrical gadgets in his garage and the two of them were buyers at local fairs for many years. Ray was a member of American Legion Post 81 in Gonzales, the Gonzales Young Farmers (winner of State Farm Improvement contest in 1959), the Monterey County Farm Bureau Board of Directors for 12 years (president 1974-75), the Gonzales Union High School Board of Trustees (1975-83), the Horseless Carriage Club, the Graham Owners Club, the Salinas Spokes Club, Gonzales Rotary for 50 years and the Salinas Elks Lodge for 60 years. Ray and Lillian played Pedro near monthly with the same group of friends for five decades. He and Lillian were married at St. Theodore Catholic Church and remained faithful parishioners throughout their lives.

By the 1990's, he retired from farming and started his second career restoring and touring in his antique automobiles. He did a ground-up restoration of the 1925 Ford Model T that he took Lillian on dates in during high school, and even drove to and from Cal Poly! He restored several Graham autos and tractors, and it was an honor to sell that part of his collection to a descendant of one of the Graham brothers. Ray did not have much interest in displaying at car shows, but he loved taking his 1918 Locomobile to northern California for the annual Nickel Club tour, and touring with many of his other cars. Lillian's love of travel and Ray's love of cars were most in sync when they shipped the old Model T by container ship to Europe and elsewhere for car tours.

Ray was predeceased by his wife, Lillian Anne; brother, Richard Gularte; daughter in-law, Nancy; and half-sister, Genevieve Longworth. He is survived by his brother, Bill (Lee) Gularte; three sons, Aron, Rob (Susie), and Wayne (Doris); grandchildren, Nicholas Gularte (Nadira), Louis Gularte, Anna Gularte Quezada (Abel), Sarah Chavez (Richard), Julia Frederick (Klynton), Jynel Gularte and Lukas Gularte; and great-grandchildren, Zoey and Bear Chavez, and Anissa and Elaria Gularte; in addition to many extended family members.

The family would like to thank all the caregivers, James, Tracy, Hortencia, and especially Dawn Pearce. Ray will be missed by his family and the many friends he made during his endeavors, whom he loved and appreciated.

A Rosary will be said Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Theodore Catholic Church in Gonzales.

Funeral Mass will be held Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Theodore Catholic Church Gonzales.

Burial at the Gonzales Cemetery and a reception at the St. Theodore Church Hall will follow the mass.

Donations may be made to St. Theodore Catholic Church, Monterey County 4-H, or the donor's preferred charity.

Published in Salinas Valley Tribune · September 26, 2023