Julius Calvin Ralph, 89, of Owensboro, passed away Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014, at Heritage Place Assisted Living. He was born Sept. 23, 1924, in Daviess County, Ky., to the late Dester and Ester Ward Ralph.
He retired from the City of Owensboro where he was the building superintendent for the Sportscenter for 31 years. He was a U.S. Army Veteran serving during WWII as a tank gunner in the 772nd Tank Destroyers Battalion. He first saw combat in Belgium the day before Thanksgiving 1944. Mr. Ralph enjoyed painting and sports of all kinds, especially horse racing.
The son of a sharecropper, he was quoted as saying “he never knew about a depression because they never had any money no ways.” Growing up, many times he and his siblings would go outside and sleep under a shade tree when it was too hot inside.
Aside from his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy “Aunt Dot” Boyle Ralph (2004), four sisters and three brothers.
Surviving are three sons, Julius Allen “Pee Wee” Ralph of Owensboro, Ronald Lee Ralph of Oakland, N.J., Michael Ralph of Owensboro; four grandchildren, Drew Ralph, Kelly Ralph, Jason Ralph, Christopher Ralph and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be Friday, 10 a.m., at Haley-McGinnis & Owensboro Funeral Home with Reverend Allen Shouse officiating and burial to follow in Ralph Cemetery in Ohio County.
Visitation will be from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. Thursday at Haley-McGinnis & Owensboro Funeral Home and from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Share your memories and photos of Julius Calvin Ralph at www.haleymcginnis.com.