Raymond Vernon Patrick

September 3, 1929 - June 21, 2026

Born in Oakland California to Vernon Everett Patrick and Doris Madeline Scoville Patrick. He attended Longfellow Elementary School, Burbank Junior High and Berkeley High School. One fateful summer day he took a motorcycle ride with a friend to check out the Junior College he was going to attend in the fall. Ray fell in love with the beautiful campus of Santa Rosa Junior College. He enrolled and met his first wife Marylee Makaroff. After their marriage Ray attended San Jose State University attaining his BA. Then went on to earn his Masters in Social Welfare at UC Berkeley. He had three daughters with his first wife; Diana, Maureen and Joan.

Ray made a career working for the County of Sonoma Family Services. This is were he met his second wife Edi. They got married on New Years Eve 1977. They made their home with her two daughters Andrea and Amy in Petaluma. He loved all his daughters equally. The blended family produced 2 grandsons Matt and Scott and 5 granddaughters Alyssa, Leanna, Jenna, Skylar and Alexandra. As well as 2 great grandchildren Kierra and Miles.

In the early 1960’s Ray was asked if he would be interested in being a bar tender for a men’s riding group The Sonoma County Trail Blazers. He thought that sounded like fun. It lead to his becoming a member of the Sebastopol Camp in 1988. From this membership he joined The Wednesday Riders. Other riding groups he enjoyed were the Reno Sierra Riders and the Hitch and Bitch. He loved sharing stories of his times on the trail riding or sometimes swamping for a teamster.

In his last years he found great enjoyment in reading Louis L’Amour westerns. Just a week before his passing he explained the pros and cons of getting old. The con..you can’t do most all the things you used to do. The pro.. You have all those good memories. Family memories are held by older brother Richard his wife Beth, their children Steve (deceased) Melanie, Carol and Connie and many nieces and nephews. Brother, Uncle, Raymond, Ray, Dad, Grandpa, Great Grandpa you gave us all many many good memories. You will be missed.

****Written by Ray's Daughter-in-Law, Angela

Raymond Vernon Patrick

NINETY SEVEN                                                                                                                                                                                                         September 3rd                                                                                                                                                                                                              This beautiful soul: gentle, loving, sweet-natured and joyful, attentive, generous, supremely kind. Matt remembers him as a great role model, he marvels at how lucky he was to have know him, love him, to have known a love like his, and have called him Grampa for 50 years. I’ll always remember him as someone with immense warmth and care to everyone around him, who gave generously, was ever-present, loved sharing stories, and possessed an infectious laugh and affectionate hugs.

We lost a giant this summer. Our precious Grampa Ray Patrick passed away on Father’s Day. Today, he would’ve turned 97. We miss him so much. From my vantage point, Ray was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, friend. Ray was a fine example of a man of character. Without an exaggeration, Ray was beautiful inside and out. He lived life with gratitude, compassion, and love. And I know one day we’ll share that cup of coffee we talked so much about. 

Today, we raise a glass to celebrate an extraordinary man who impacted my husband’s existence and filled him with beautiful memories leaving him a legacy of what a manhood, values, and good person should be. We miss him dearly, and love him greatly.

Cheers to Raymond Vernon Patrick

{1929 - 2026}