Ramiro "Ray" Otero

Ramiro (Ray) Velez Guillen Otero was born to Hector and Fily Otero on January 11, 1929 in Oruru, Bolivia and passed away on June 9, 2023 in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 94. Ray lived only a short time in Bolivia, before the family returned to their home in Buenos Aires, Argentina where his father ran the family mining business. In 1934, when Ray was only five years old, tragedy struck the family when his father passed away. As a result, his mother was compelled to take over the business, an unusual feat for a woman in the 1930's, but especially remarkable considering she was also raising five children. Ray was the youngest of the Otero kids. His four siblings, who have all predeceased him, are from oldest to youngest - Bill, Hector, Eddie and Gladys. Ray was a handful and spent the majority of his young life in a series of prestigious boarding schools, beginning at the young age of five and continuing until he graduated from High School. In 1950, Ray moved to California to continue his education, following the same path that each of his siblings had taken at their mother's insistence. It was while attending Glendale College that Ray's life changed forever. Dorothy Bulger had just arrived in California from Baxter Springs, Kansas, and was staying with a relative across the street from Ray. There was an instant chemistry and he quickly swept her off of her feet, serenading her at a local club he sang in. They fell in love and married six months later, on December 22, 1951, in a little Catholic Church with just five witnesses - the beginning of a wonderful 71 year marriage!! Ray continued his education at San Jose College, and then at the University of Southern California where Ray and Dottie enjoyed attending college games and spent much of their time building a cabin in Big Bear Lake. Ray graduated from USC in 1959 with an Architectural Degree and Dottie (as spouse) was acknowledged with an Honorary Degree for helping Ray master the English language. On November 12,1959, Ray became a proud father to his first child, Stephen. With his new degree under his belt, he boldly designed and built their family home on the side of a steep hill in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Silverlake. On May 27, 1961, soon after the house was finished, Ray's second child, Valerie, was born and the family was complete. Ray had a successful practice in LA working in the office he designed. He studied the work of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and his designs reflected this influence. Modern, contemporary was Ray's signature, but he always brought in light and nature to his philosophy of design. Ray also excelled at elevation problems and difficult areas to build. The house he first built for his young family still stands today in perfect condition and it has been nominated for the Historical Registry of Mid-Century Modern Homes. In 1971, Ray and Dottie sold their beloved house and moved their family to Tulsa, Oklahoma to be a bit closer to Dottie's parents in Kansas. Ray worked for the architectural firm Bentham, Blair and Associates when he first arrived in Tulsa, but in time he decided to start his own practice, where he enjoyed a prosperous and satisfying career. In 1973, Ray worked with the city of Sand Springs to debut the first ever "Great Raft Race!" He worked with the elevation and difficult launch issues encountered for this first joint endeavor between Sand Springs and Tulsa. Over the course of his career Ray designed churches, modern residential homes, banks, and offices, etc. He loved the challenges of troublesome terrain and elevation nightmares. He mapped out impossible winding, hilly, difficult properties for residential neighborhoods. Ray always stayed busy with projects. With Dottie by his side, they would flip properties before "flipping properties" was popular. They renovated a duplex by Cherry Street, so their daughter and grandson could live on one side and rent out the other. They renovated another house so their daughter's growing family could move into bigger surroundings. Repeatedly adding on to their daughter's ever growing house. Besides other houses, they also tackled a very rundown antique house that famed actress Jennifer Jones had once owned. Ray loved going to the YMCA on a daily basis to swim laps, play tennis, and work out. Every morning he'd do his stretch exercises and in the evenings walk with Dottie and their dog. He loved to play golf or meet for coffee with his buddies. Ray also made wooden trucks, toys, a wood wagon and a dollhouse for his grandkids. His most cherished artistic hobby was working with stained glass. He made cabinet doors, frames, lamps, kaleidoscopes, vases, nightlights, large window displays, keepsake boxes, jewelry and so much more from stained glass for friends and family. Ray's final years were spent here at Aberdeen Heights, where he grew an extended family too great to tackle. The love he gave to others here was the reflection of the love he received. Ray loved all of the music and dancing (and wine) he could get his hands on, he enjoyed joking around and always had an awesome smile on his face. He was a great friend, a fantastic Dad, a loving Grandpa and a silly Great- grandpa. But most of all, he loved his "Beanie", Dottie. She is all he dreamed about since the day they met in 1951. Ray's rascally spirit definitely lives on through his family and dear friends' hearts and memories. Ray is survived by his wife of 71 years, Dottie, their son Stephen and his wife Julie, and their daughter Valerie and her partner Kirk. He is also survived by three grandchildren: Ryan Jennemann and his partner Jairia Pass, Seth Jennemann and his wife Lizzie, and Carly Jennemann and her partner Jacob Broyles. He leaves behind six great-grandchildren: Rylee, Aizen, Ella, Lola, Xavier, and Charlie.

Ramiro "Ray" Otero

January 11, 1929 - June 9, 2023