Stuart Carroll Willoughby, Jr.

Stuart Carroll Willoughby, Jr.March 19, 1951 – July 31, 2025

Stuart Carroll Willoughby, Jr., 74, passed away peacefully on July 31, 2025. Born in Willcox, Arizona on March 19, 1951, Stu spent most of his life in Tucson, where he left an indelible mark as a builder, entrepreneur, sailor, aviator, and a deeply devoted family man.

After graduating from Willcox High School in 1969, he attended the University of Arizona, before building a successful career as a realtor and general contractor, building countless custom homes throughout Southern Arizona.  He founded and led multiple businesses over the years, including Red Baron Realty, Sunshine Solar Company, Willoughby Construction and Development Corp. and Sun Pure Water Makers, LLC—ventures that showcased his vision, drive, and skillful craftsmanship.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Stu had a lifelong love of sailing. He raced Hobie catamarans with his daughter Aimee throughout Arizona, Mexico, and California as a longtime member of the Tucson Sailing Club. In 2005, he achieved one of his proudest sailing feats: skippering his cherished sailboat Sea Peace across the Pacific in the Transpacific Yacht Race from Los Angeles to Hawaii with Margaret Dickerson by his side.

Stu was also a private pilot and a passionate member of the Tucson Radio Control Club, where he could often be found flying his beloved RC model airplanes. He cherished his friends at the TRCC, and loved the time spent swapping stories and airplanes at the flying field.

Stu’s curiosity and talents seemed limitless—whether in the air, on the sea, or with tools in hand.  He will be remembered as a loving father, devoted grandfather, supportive brother, and a master craftsman who could build or repair anything he set his mind to. Stu’s legacy is one of adventure, hard work, ingenuity, generosity, and love.

He is survived by his daughters Julie (Sean) Neylon and Aimee (Robert) Medearis; his longtime companion, Margaret Dickerson; his siblings, Stephen (Judy) Willoughby, Martha (Bob) Reno, Linda Baughn, and Scott (Ana) Willoughby, his grandchildren Andrew, Alexander and Nicholas Scarpinato, Owen and Emma Neylon, and his nieces and nephews Stephanie (Frank) Rote, Nicole (Robert) Preston, Candace Johnson, Melissa (Robert) Rosser, Stacey Lynch, Stuart Willoughby, and Mandy Pierce. He was predeceased by his parents, Stuart Carroll Willoughby, Sr. and Margaret Ann Willoughby.

In honor of Stu’s lifelong passion for aviation, donations can be made in his memory to the Tucson Radio Control Club (www.trccclub.org).