Raye Carleson Ringholz closed the chapter on a long and eventful life on July 16, 2023. The daughter of Fred A. and Lucille Carleson, she was born on March 19, 1927 in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The family moved to Salt Lake City in 1934. She married Richard G. Price in 1948 and they were later divorced. She married Joseph F. Ringholz in 1974 while on a hunting safari in Africa. They lived in Park City, Utah for twenty years, then moved back to Salt Lake City until 2013 when they settled in their winter home in Coronado, California. In 2015 they moved to Palo Alto, California. Joe passed away in 2016.
Raye attended Rowland Hall School for Girls from the second grade through high school. She spent a short time at Pomona College, but transferred to the University of Utah where she graduated in 1949 with a B. A. Degree in English/History. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She was president of her sorority as well as the Panhellenic Association.
Her first job was as a reporter and teen columnist for the Salt Lake Telegram. She later served as Information Specialist for the Utah State Division of Economic Development. An interest in writing remained throughout her lifetime. She authored 15 books and numerous articles published in local and national publications. Always active in civic affairs, she was president of the Junior League of Salt Lake, Board Chair and Acting Director of the Kimball Art Center, Chair of the Park City Historical Society, Board member of the Hamilton Homeowners Assn and Board member of the Palo Alto Historical Assn. Her last book, written for the latter organization, was a book about Palo Alto’s predecessor, the town of Mayfield.
Raye received the Paul Petzoldt Award from the Wilderness Education Assn. and the Executive Committee Award from the Writers at Work organization.
Joe and Raye enjoyed a life of travel and adventure. They summited the Grand Teton, trekked in the Himalayas, game fished in Alaska and returned to Africa for hunting and photographic safaris. They sailed, flew, played tennis, rode horses, skied and golfed.
Raye is survived by her daughters Allyn Taylor (John B.) and Karen C. Muscolino (Joe) and her step children Cindy Cunningham (Chris), Jane Poznar (Kenn), Mary Ann Garrett and Michael Ringholz. She has seven grandchildren, twelve step grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, nineteen step great grandchildren and two step great great grandchildren. Raye was preceded in death by her daughter Cameron Vance and her step sons Paul and John Ringholz.
A private burial service will be held at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Salt Lake City. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Raye Carleson Ringholz Fund for Special Collections (11307) at the University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library.
Submitted by the family
