Funeral Service: 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 1, 2016 Grace Aarnes Lutheran Church Wynyard, Saskatchewan Ralph passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 27 at the age of 96. Ralph was predeceased by his parents Alfred and Amanda; brothers Henry and Edward; sisters Hildur, Lil, Olga, Linea, and Astrid; brothers-in-law Gus Hillbom, Stan Shaw, Art Kirkpatrick, Nels Hillbom, John Belak, Geoff Smith, George Sundquist, Rudolph Sundquist, Harold Sundquist, Ben Zander, and Alan Brooks; sisters-in-law Hadie Anderson, Annie Anderson, Vesper Sundquist, Doris Sundquist, and Elsie Sundquist. Ralph is lovingly remembered by his wife Gladys; children Andrea (Emile) Sebastian, Rod (Judy) Anderson, and Rick (Bev) Anderson; grandchildren Derek (Lana) Sebastian, Wade (Carmen Barber) Sebastian, Greg (Elysa) Anderson, Curtis Anderson, Christopher Anderson, and Michael (Karen) Anderson; great grandchildren Nicole Sebastian, Burke Sebastian, Tyler Sebastian, Liam Anderson, Eli Anderson, Finn Anderson, and Haxton Anderson; brothers-in-law Karl Sundquist and Bruce Howlett; sisters-in-law Kae Sundquist, Ruth Zander and Shirley Brooks; as well as numerous nephews and nieces. Ralph was born on the family farm January 10, 1920. Ralph was seldom sick in his life and one wonders if his ability to escape flu and colds can be traced to his first hours on this earth. His entire family with the exception of Henry, the oldest brother, was stricken with what was believed to be the Spanish Flu. His father, also incapacitated by the flu, told Ralph’s mother that he expected not all would survive. A youthful Henry was credited with saving the family. He covered the sick children with deer hides and nursed them as best as he could and they all lived long healthy lives. Ralph started school at Product School but because he was from out of the Product district he was not able to continue. He became a student of the outdoors and the bush instead. As a young boy this was the perfect existence. His father was concerned however and worked diligently to help organize the Bognor School where Ralph was able to complete 8 grades in 5 years. The school was jam packed with kids of Swedish, German, English and Ukrainian descent all most comfortable in their own language. You would think a situation such as that would be a detriment to learning and an obstacle in later life but Ralph was truly a lifelong learner and achieved success in life in spite of humble beginnings. He was born into a musical family and loved to sing and play the guitar. Other interests were playing ball in his youth, curling, and dancing. He would go to great lengths to attend dances travelling by horseback or on foot. One night he chased the rumour of a dance to three different schools on foot. Never did find the dance and had to spend the night at a friend’s house as it was too late to return home. He was also known to get around on cross country skis and on skis while being pulled by horse. Attending dances turned out to be a good thing as that is how he met his dance partner for the next 73 years. World War II saw Ralph conscripted into the army. He was completing basic training when he received farm leave. His father was losing his sight and he was really needed on the farm. Ralph remembered being dismissed from duty and getting home by hitch-hiking a ride on a truck with a load of chickens on the back, then another short way on a bus, then by foot. He recalled arriving home surprising his mother while she was doing the milking and chores. When she saw him she burst into tears of relief. He married Gladys Sundquist October 27, 1943 and they raised 3 children. They lived on the farm until 1959 at which time they moved to Wynyard. He continued to farm from town and although his first interest was farming he achieved success in many other ways as well. He worked for the Wynyard Coop Association as an A.I. technician and then began a Cooperators Insurance Agency in Wynyard which he ran for 25 years. As an insurance agent he received many awards from The Cooperators in recognition of quality work. He served on numerous boards such as Shamrock School Division, Wynyard Community Clinic, Wynyard Credit Union and the Lutheran Church. As an adult he sought to be baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran church. He and Gladys enjoyed dancing at every opportunity and were members of the square dance club. He was involved in the church singing in the choir and serving on the board. Ralph was one of the original group of concerned citizens that were able to raise funds to build a community clinic (one of the first in the province). He volunteered many hours canvassing local farmers for donations of grain. Money and time constrictions limited the opportunities to travel but Ralph was determined to take at least one memorable family holiday and in the summer of 1961 the family squeezed into the ‘55 Chevy and drove all the way to Seattle to visit Ralph’s sister and family. The family has many memories of this trip but oddly the one that is remembered most involves pumpkin pie. Gladys had packed as much food as possible as restaurant eating was a luxury in those days. Some of it was stored on the back window ledge of the car. 1961 was a drought and hot so when the pie was sampled first by Ralph it was a little off but he waited for each of the kids to take a bite each time signalling to keep quiet. Gladys was last and her reaction didn’t disappoint. The boys got to dispose of the pie. Lunch was being enjoyed in the shade of some farmer’s granary and it was often wondered what he made of the pumpkin pie stuck to the side of his granary. Later on Ralph and Gladys found the time to travel to Sweden where they visited relatives. On this trip they also saw parts of France and Holland. They escaped the cold one winter by spending a few weeks with friends in Arizona. Ralph touched many lives and will be greatly missed. He was proud of his family and expected them to become good citizens and with Gladys as an equal partner emphasized manners, respect, and hard work. He leaves the world a better place for the life he led.