LAKEPORT, Calif. — Ray was born on Sept. 6, 1934, in San Francisco to Swedish parents Roy Uno and Edit Tisell.

Ray passed away suddenly in Lakeport, California, on Jan. 17, 2024.

In 1946, Ray’s family moved to Nice, building a mini “resort” of three cabins on the lake.

Ray attended Upper Lake High School and then went on to graduate from Mission High School in San Francisco. Ray’s father was a longshoreman and as work picked up on the waterfront, they spent time in both places.

While living in Lake County, he hunted and had a trap line in the hills behind Nice, but his main passion was learning how things worked, a trait that followed him throughout his life. While in high school he and his buddy Orin were always on the lookout for old or abandoned cars they could take apart and rebuild.

Ray worked many jobs as a young man. Though underaged at 15 ½ , he hired on with a convict crew to fight a massive ongoing fire behind Nice. He bought his first car (a Nash Ambassador) with his earnings.

In the Bay Area, he drove a poultry delivery truck delivering fresh chickens to San Francisco restaurants. He worked at the Pacific Railroad Co. on Market Street where he developed a love for skiing through company snow trips.

He was hired as a seaman on a Swedish ship. Sailing took him to Europe where he bought a motorcycle and took time exploring Scandinavia, visited family and learned Swedish. Once returning to San Francisco, he continued sailing as a merchant marine while studying for his marine engineers license.

Ray bought his first walnut orchard in Kelseyville at the age of 22. Walnuts became an ever-growing part of his life, and harvest season a family centered event.

In 1960, he married his first wife, Berit Eriksen. Rather than being out at sea while raising a family, Ray began his career in construction. He became a carpenter, a contractor and then a spec home builder. They lived in homes Ray built in Daly City with their children Diana and Steve. They were very socially active in the Scandinavian community.

Then in 1989, he married his second wife of 35 years, Irene Willumsen. They started a family and lived in the home Ray built in Hillsborough. Ray and Irene had three children, Leif, Ingrid and Lars.

Ray had two brothers, Roy and Nils. Throughout their lives, summering in Lake County was a given to the Tisell brothers and their families. They made their own water skis, and spent weekends skiing and boating — before it was a popular sport! In the fall the family gathered for walnut harvest.

Early in 2001, Ray came across a property that caught his eye whose history he knew. Plans developed and Ray, Irene and their children made the move to Lake County.

Ray was a multi-faceted man with many talents and interests: water and snow skiing, painting, photography, music, landscaping, absorbing information (reading). He was an entrepreneur with an inquisitive mind and was always learning — as he always said, “You learn something new on every job.”

He had working man’s hands but could do precision work. You name it, he could do it.

He had an uncanny perception of people and a soft spot for animals. Ray loved and was loved. He will be fondly remembered for his practical outlook and experience, many stories and sage advice. Ray was truly a one-of-a-kind person who will be sorely missed.

Ray is survived by his wife, Irene; children, Diana, Steve, Leif, Ingrid and Lars; grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church on Friday, May 3, at 11 a.m., to be followed by a luncheon.

Bring a memory of Ray to share!