Obituaries

Home: Murray, Utah
Death Date: December 27, 2009
Birthdate: November 30, 1951
Place Of Birth: Baltimore, Maryland
Service Information: Thursday, January 7, 2010 4:00 PM
Service Location: Golden Cliff Room, Cliff Lodge, Snowbird, Utah

Dr. Joseph Raymond Wirts passed away on December 27, 2009 in Salt Lake City, UT where he has resided for nearly 40 years after fighting cancer for six months. He was born to Edna Adelia Wirts and the late Joseph Raymond Wirts Sr. in Baltimore, MD on November 30, 1951. He was survived by his daughter Joni Rae Wirts, mother Edna or "Penny" Wirts, step daughter Lindsay LaFeen, partner Kim McNeil, dog Oscar, and innumerable friends. Ray's strong spirit will never be forgotten due to his relentless energy for sports, recreation, traveling, and having a good time with friends and family. He was a very driven optometrist and businessman as evidenced by his successful optometry practice, Classic Optical. Ray was highly successful at everything he did. He skied about 80 days per year with a lifetime pass at Snowbird. He spent many boating seasons wakeboarding and waterskiing at reservoirs in Utah, especially Lake Powell. He had a passion for motorcycles, owning up to five at any given time, and winning many desert dirt bike races. Ray played tennis nearly every day, was a member of the Sportsmall, and often dominated his 4.0 division. He also played golf, surfed, went river rafting, rode horses, and did anything that provided adventure or excitement. Ray was a unique individual who chose his own journey through life and was not affected by vanity or pretentiousness. He was straightforward, excitable, motivated, and maintained great and close interpersonal relationships with many friends and family. He will be loved and missed by many. His stories will become legendary as they are unprecedented.A celebration of Ray’s life will be held Thursday, January 7 at 4:00pm at the Golden Cliff Room in the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird. It is not expected to wear black.