Ralph Ascencio

Ralph Ascencio, loving husband, father, and grandfather died March 16, 2022, in Austin, Texas at the age of 82 years old. He passed away at St. David’s Hospital from septic shock. Ralph is preceded in death by his father, Moises; his mother, Emma; and his brothers Gilbert and Michael.

Ralph will be deeply missed by his wife of 56 years, Patricia Ascencio; his son, John Ascencio, of Michigan (grandchildren Caleb and Noah); his daughter, Catherine (Ted) Gaunt, of Texas (grandchildren Sophia, Brenden, and Magnus); his son, Thomas (Darlene) Ascencio, of Michigan (grandchildren Abigail and George); and his son, Eric (Misty) Selvidge, of Arizona (grandchildren Cami, Cassie, Carli, Callie, and Caylie). Ralph is also survived by his sister, Linda Ascencio and brother, Tito Ascencio.

Ralph’s parents emigrated from Tlaquepaque, Mexico, and Ralph was born in Detroit, Michigan on November 1, 1939. Ralph enjoyed an early career as a dance instructor at Arthur Murray’s. Then, at Fisher Body (later General Motors), he worked his way up through the skilled trades to become a talented tradesman as a tool and die maker, where he made car production run better.

Ralph and his wife, Pat, shared a love of travel and they had adventures across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. They also enjoyed meeting other travelers, as they owned and operated the Huron Valley Motel that used to be in Milford, Michigan.

Ralph was a devout Catholic and loved going to church daily. He was a religious Education teacher for years and an active member in the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed listening to jazz, tinkering, and working on his cars. His favorite car was his 1962 Cadillac Eldorado convertible, which he loved to drive in the annual Detroit Woodward Dream Cruise. Ralph was very handy and successfully bought and renovated many homes in the southeast Michigan area.

A funeral viewing will be held from 5 to 7 PM on Thursday, March 24th, at Weed Corley Fish Funeral Home on 5416 Parkcrest Drive in Austin, TX.

Mass service is dedicated to Ralph at 1:30 PM on Friday, March 25, at St. Theresa Catholic Church on 4311 Small Drive, Austin, TX.