Raymond Routledge, 1931-2008. Mr. America 1961
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Public's help needed in search for kin
By Melissa Pinion-Whitt, Staff writer
Article Launched: 11/13/2008 09:26:55 PM PST
SAN BERNARDINO - He graced bodybuilding magazine covers and won
amateur Mr. America and Mr. Universe competitions in the 1950s through
the 1970s.
But even though Raymond Routledge shined in the spotlight years ago,
his presence in the public eye has faded, along with any traces of
immediate family.
That's a problem for the San Bernardino County Coroner's Department,
which has been investigating the 77-year-old San Bernardino man's
death since Wednesday.
Police found his body inside his home Wednesday after neighbors called
the management of the complex where he lived.
"People became concerned that they hadn't seen him," said San
Bernardino County coroner's spokeswoman Sandy Fatland.
His cause of death will be determined by an autopsy, but Fatland said
it appears that Routledge died of natural causes.
Coroner's investigators were able to obtain the man's name and
discovered he previously lived in Utah, but they can't find
relatives.
"We searched all of our databases that are available to us to try to
find family," Fatland said.
An ex-wife told investigators he was Raymond Routledge, the
bodybuilder, Fatland said.
Routledge was a professional bodybuilder and won numerous titles
between 1953 and 1979, including Amateur Mr. Universe in 1961. He
placed first in the Amateur Athletic Union Mr. America competition
that year, according to www.musclememory.com