In Loving Memory of Raymond Lanzilotta

Raymond Tyler Lanzilotta, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend and larger-than-life personality, passed away on Aug. 6, 2026, in Temecula, California surrounded by family and close friends. He was 61 years old.

Raymond was born Nov. 15, 1964, in Garden Grove, California, and spent his later years in Temecula, where he built a life filled with family, friendships, hard work and countless adventures.

After graduating from high school, Ray began his working life in a cabinet shop before moving into heavy equipment and water-truck driving. Eventually, he found his calling in the concrete-pumping industry. After working for others in the business, Ray started his own concrete-pumping company and spent more than 30 years building a career that reflected the qualities that defined him: determination, toughness, a willingness to take on any challenge and an extraordinary work ethic.

A hard day's work was where Ray excelled. He never seemed to back down from a challenge, and that determination shaped both his professional and personal life. Ray was the kind of person who would drop whatever he was doing to lend a hand. His selfless nature and willingness to help others earned him countless friendships and made him someone people knew they could always count on.

To Ray's family, friends and the countless people whose lives he touched, his passing is almost impossible to comprehend. Ray was the life of the party. He seemed to know everyone, and everyone seemed to know Ray. He had an unmistakable smile and smirk, a laugh that could light up a room and a personality that was impossible to forget. To know Raymond was to love him. Sometimes he could make you want to pull your hair out, but you could never stay mad at him for long. His infectious personality always brought people back for more Ray.

Ray lived life to the fullest, especially when it came to the things he loved. An incredible talent on two wheels, he could ride a motorcycle or tear up a mountain-bike trail with some of the best. In years past, he loved family trips to the Glamis sand dunes on his motorcycle and enjoyed riding trials bikes. In later years, mountain biking became one of his greatest passions. He especially loved riding his single-speed bike, often choosing the challenge simply to see how far he could push himself.

Family adventures on the water were another huge part of Ray's life. Over the years, there were boats, pink jet skis and countless trips to favorite destinations including Lake Powell, Lake Mojave and the Parker and Lake Havasu area. Ray was the boat driver everyone trusted—even when that meant putting 10 kids on a tube at once. He had a knack for turning an ordinary day into an adventure. And, naturally, Ray could do a handstand. Not just on land, either. A handstand on a moving jet ski was apparently well within his definition of a good time.

But perhaps Ray's greatest gift was the way he made people feel. He had a unique ability to turn friends into family and strangers into friends. He was always willing to lend a hand, always ready with a joke and always capable of bringing energy and laughter wherever he went. His unexpected phone calls will be missed by so many. And for those who knew him well, there was one familiar way those calls often began:

"Hey, you sleepin?!"   “where you at”

Ray's greatest love, however, was his family. He met Cindy, the love of his life, and together they shared 36 years of marriage. For Ray, finding Cindy was one of the best things that ever happened to him. Together, they built a family and raised two beautiful, intelligent daughters, Jessica and Taylor, of whom Ray was immensely proud.

Ray's family was at the center of everything he did. He was a devoted husband to Cindy, a proud father and a loving grandfather to Penelope. The love and pride he had for his family were evident to everyone who knew him.

Raymond Lanzilotta worked hard, played hard, loved fiercely and never seemed to do anything halfway. He had an extraordinary ability to make people laugh, bring people together and make those around him better simply by being their friend.

His absence will leave an enormous hole in the lives of his family and the countless friends who loved him. His smile, his laugh, his stories, his random phone calls, his adventures and his unmistakable personality will be remembered for generations.

To know Raymond was to love him.

And there will never be another Ray.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Cynthia Lanzilotta; daughters Jessica (Sam) Gulizia and granddaughter Penelope; daughter Taylor (David) Godnick; brother-in-law Jim Arbogast; sister Liz Arbogast; and his mother, Ruth Lanzilotta. He was preceded in death by his father Romano Ray Lanzilotta.