Cecil L. Calavan was born April 16, 1924, to the late Ray Cecil and Ester Nola Calavan in Chico, Calif. He passed away Aug. 14, 2014, at the age of 90 in his home surrounded by his family.

Cecil enlisted in the Navy September 1941 and was stationed on the USS Utah. He was a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. After retiring from Ampex Corp. in Redwood City, Calif., in 1989, Cecil moved to Anacortes, Wash.

Cecil was president of the USS Utah Survivors Assoc. and an active member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Assoc., Cascade Chap. 5, of which he had just been appointed president.

Cecil was proud of his Irish heritage and loved to travel to Ireland, among many other places around the world.

Cecil loved his very large family and often joked they would need a “parade permit” when they gathered. He is survived by his life partner Wyoma of Washington; seven children, Patrick (Tiye) of Colorado, Pamela (Rick) of California, Dianna of California, Dennis (Diane) of California, Kelly (Shannon) of Washington, M’Liss of California and Sue (Patrick), also of California; 11 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Cecil asked that no memorial service be held and his ashes be taken to Chico.

Arrangements are under the care of Alpha-Omega Cremation and Burial, Mount Vernon, Wash.