Harry Lee Ramsey Jr.

With sadness and love, the family of Harry Lee Ramsey, Jr., of Sedona, Arizona, announces his death on August 1, 2025, at the age of 87 after an adventurous and rewarding life. Harry was born on January 9, 1938, in Loma Linda, California. The son of Harry and Dorothy Ramsey, he grew up on a farm in the California desert near Thermal and was the first in his family to graduate from college. Harry earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from U.C. Berkeley in 1960 and married the love of his life, Anne Brooks, the next day. Harry and Anne met as college students in the Bay Area, where Anne graduated from nearby Mills College.

Harry spent his career at Hughes Aircraft Company, designing and maintaining electronics for military and naval defense. After four years in Germany as a young engineer, he returned to the United States, eventually earning an M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and becoming Technical Director of a major program that provided display systems for U.S. Navy ships. After he retired in 1993, he and Anne built their dream home in a quiet valley, surrounded by towering red cliffs, near Sedona, Arizona.

Harry was a world traveler who visited five continents with Anne. Skilled at driving 4WD vehicles in difficult terrain, he also loved wilderness camping, hiking, and exploring remote places with beautiful scenery. He was especially fond of Baja California and Australia. During his thirty years in Northern Arizona, he avidly supported the Sedona Chamber Music Festival and participated in the Sedona Railroaders model train club—serving as President and designing intricate layouts for the trains. He walked three miles per day well into his eighties.

Harry is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Anne Brooks Ramsey; his son, Michael (married to Lisa Pondrom Ramsey); his daughter, Carolyn (married to Byron Murray); and his four grandsons: Chris, Colin, Justin, and Jordan.

We will miss Harry greatly but think of him whenever we enjoy a morning walk, an evening around the campfire, or an afternoon on the lake. We’ll feel his spirit in red sandstone towers, mountain vistas, the notes of a Stravinsky ballet score, and the thrill of starting each new journey by airplane or train.

Rest in peace, fearless leader. You were as brave in the face of illness as you were fun-loving and loyal as a spouse, parent, and grandparent. You achieved an admirable work-life balance and had a great zest for life until your last breath. We’ll always remember and love you.