Ralph Alden Wallin

Ralph was born in Marquette, Michigan where he attended the John D. Pierce Grade School and graduated from the John D. Pierce High School. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War from

1948 to 1952 and attained the rank of Fire Control Technician First Class. He served aboard the USS Gainard, DD-706 and USS Haynesworth, DD-700.

Ralph attended Northern Michigan University at Marquette, Michigan and Michigan Technological University at Houghton, Michigan where he received Bachelor of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering in 1956 and Engineering Administration in 1958.

Ralph joined the Western Electric Company in 1958 and worked as a Field Engineer on Nike Ajax, Hercules and Safeguard Missile Systems. These assignments were in Winston-Salem, Burlington and Greensboro, North Carolina; Camp Hanford, Washington; Istanbul, Turkey; Aachen, Germany and Whippany, New Jersey. He retired from AT&T, (now Lucent Technologies) Guilford Center in 1989 with 31 years of service.

He was a member of Revolution Masonic Lodge #552, the Scottish Rite, Valley of Greensboro, Oasis Shrine Temple and The Oriental Shrine Club. Ralph enjoyed the challenge of duplicate bridge and played often.

He is survived by his wife Jessie D. Wallin of the home, son Randal “Randy” S. Wallin of Greensboro; daughter, Heidi K. Gerhardt, husband Karl Gerhardt, grandchildren Luke and Kayla Gerhardt of West Creek, New Jersey and his sister, Mrs. Jean Kalbfleisch of Traverse City, Michigan.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in the Hanes-Lineberry Funeral Home Sedgefield Chapel conducted by Reverend Mike Owens. Interment with Masonic Rites will be in Guilford Memorial Park Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home, Sedgefield Chapel on Friday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, c/o Oasis Shrine Temple, 604 Doug Mayes Place, Charlotte, NC 28262.