Raymond Leon Allmon

Raymond Leon Allmon, age 86, passed away peacefully on February 14, 2026, in San Diego, California surrounded by family.  He was born on March 30,1939 in Los Angeles, California.

Ray was a man of quiet and steadfast Christian faith.  Throughout his life, he faithfully served his churches in many roles, including Choir Director, Treasurer, Elder and Usher.  He and Ann were leaders in Awana.  His faith guided the way he lived - humbly, faithfully, and in service to others.

Ray proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1957 to 1961 as an Airman Second Class (A2C) Reciprocating Engine Mechanic with the 55th Air Rescue Squadron.  During his service, he was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base, Chanute Air Force Base, Thule Air Force Base in Greenland and Blytheville Air Force Base.  It was while stationed at Chanute that he met the love of his life, Claretta Ann Brizendine.  The two met at First Baptist Church, where Ann famously beat Ray at ping pong ~ the beginning of a partnership that would last 65 years.

After his military service, Ray attended California State University, Los Angeles.  He began his career in aerospace at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, where he worked on the Ranger 7 mission.  This mission captured the first close-up photographs of the moon's surface.  During breaks, Ray and his colleagues could occasionally be found launching paper airplanes from the roof - a small reflection of his playful spirit.

Ray later trained at Lockheed alongside his brother-in-law, Chuck, and went on to work in Lockheed's legendary Skunk Works, following in the footsteps of his father.  Over time, he became a computer-aided design programmer and spent many years contributing his skills across the aerospace industry including work with Boeing and Northrop Grumman.

In between his aerospace years, Ray and his family embraced entrepreneurship.  He supported his family as a small business owner, operating mobile home parks and a Montgomery Ward Catalog store.

Ray had a lifelong love of animals, cars, model trains and model planes.  He enjoyed building and working on hot rods, completing two of his own over the years.  One of his favorite traditions was attending the Cruisin' Morro Bay Car Show each year.

Ray is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Claretta Ann "Ann" Allmon; his children, Andrea Allmon (Margaret Laufman) and Robert Allmon (Rhonda Hutchinson nee Ortiz); his grandchildren, Christopher Allmon (Hannah Allmon nee Harrison), Kirsten Neal nee Allmon (Geoff Neal), Aaron Allmon, and step-grandson Trevor Hoyles; and his great-grandchildren, Hudson Allmon and Charlotte Neal.  He is also survived by his sister, Carol Risell nee Allmon, and the mothers of his grandchildren, Susan Grijalva nee Martin and Mary Allmon nee Vaughn.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Shirley Allmon nee Bonett and Carl Allmon, and brothers, Larry and Douglas Allmon.

Ray will be remembered for his quiet strength, deep faith, exceptional generosity, unique sense of humor, love of aviation, steady devotion to his family, and the simple joy he found in life's everyday moments.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE: 

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, April 10, 2026 at

11:00am - Trotter Chapel on the First United Methodist Church campus, 2111 Camino del Rio South, San Diego, CA.  

2:00pm - Interment at Miramar National Cemetery

Tributes and Memories can be left on the Veteran's Memorial page: https://vlm.cem.va.gov/RAYMONDLEONALLMON/abe7b8

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