Ralph W. Hall

Ralph W. Hall was a man for whom actions would speak louder than words. His life motto might well have been “if it isn’t logical, it’s not important.” The qualities of being fair, just and the ability to recognize what was right were clearly driving forces in Ralph’s life. He was also the kind of person who could respect a “do not disturb” sign, whether it was real or implied. He was analytical and observant, with an ability to be simultaneously spontaneous and keenly perceptive. Ralph was modest in his actions and extremely literal in his thoughts and in the manner in which he communicated with others. When Ralph said something, he meant it. All those who knew him appreciated this trademark quality.

Ralph was born on July 25, 1937 at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents were Ralph Albert and Loretta Cecilia Wirtz Hall. Ralph was raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Even as a small child, Ralph wanted to understand what was right and what was wrong in any given situation. As Ralph grew older, he realized the importance of being treated fairly, and in return, he treated everyone around him the same way. This belief in fair play served Ralph well throughout his life and despite his natural shyness; he enjoyed a solid group of friends.

During his childhood, family and friends viewed Ralph as a quiet and reserved person with what most would consider a calm and tranquil demeanor. In fact, he was a fairly curious child who had the ability to entertain himself and didn’t require much in the way of outside stimulation. A great deal of Ralph’s free time was spent learning how and why the things around him worked. He was an active child who loved being outdoors and absorbing all the sensory input that nature could provide. He took part in baseball. In his spare time he liked listening to jazz records.

The fact that he was curious was an asset to Ralph while he was in school. He possessed strong study skills and good concentration. He relished the task of scrutinizing problems, investigating all of the options and then solving them. Ralph enjoyed tackling the project that was right in front of him and working it straight through to its conclusion. Sometimes, he would become so involved in the process of problem solving that he would lose awareness of his surroundings. Experience was Ralph’s best teacher. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was History.

The same qualities that served as assets for Ralph while he was in high school were tools that built success in his college years. His ability to work through problems and assignments without wasting time and energy demonstrated to his instructors that he possessed a real “stick to it” attitude that allowed him to succeed despite an underlying desire to defer making difficult decisions. Ralph was an analytical and an independent thinker, qualities that allowed him to develop and implement effective strategies and techniques to meet his college workload. He earned his GED in the United States Air Force.

Those who didn’t know Ralph well might have thought him to be objective and somewhat emotionally detached, but family and friends who were close to him knew that he was capable of unexpected flashes of humor. Ralph’s good friends tended to be “thinkers” like himself. Even though the circle of friends was somewhat small, it was a strong and loyal group, and Ralph liked nothing better than to spend his free time with them. Ralph was well known for always being up front and open, never hiding his true feelings, qualities that drew deep loyalty from his friends because they understood and appreciated him for the person he was. Another quality that people admired in Ralph was his ability to link cause and effect and apply the appropriate connection in his assessment of any new situation. While growing up, some of his best friends were Freddy Boosinger and Rosie Boosinger.

This same loyalty and up front honesty Ralph shared with his friends carried over to other aspects of his life, including his relationships with his family. On December 24, 1958, Ralph exchanged wedding vows with Janet McCain in Aurora, Colorado. The marriage became a solid relationship, due in part to Ralph’s skill at bringing fresh energy and clarity to meeting Janet's needs. He was a great listener who enjoyed the couple’s “together” time, especially when it came to celebrating special occasions.

As the family grew, Ralph was easily able to adapt to the changes and challenges of parenthood. Ralph was blessed with two children, daughter, Renee C. Hall and son, Walter C. Hall. They were also blessed with two grandchildren, Daniel and Brèanna. Ralph was never impulsive in dealing with family problems. Instead, he would carefully think things through before implementing the solution in a logical and objective manner. Ralph was a strong, clear communicator who excelled at eliminating confusion by making matters crystal clear to all those involved. At the same time, Ralph’s inventive nature could turn some of the boring old household chores into a fun activity for the family.

In his work life, Ralph was the kind of person who had no difficulty in taking on a project and seeing it through to its completion. He excelled at dealing with those pesky details that can derail some people, and once he understood exactly why he was working on a project, he could plow full steam ahead. For Ralph, being able to grasp the logical components of any task was significant to him in appreciating its importance. Even if he worked alone on an assignment, Ralph was able to incorporate and welcome new insights from co-workers, and he would readily use them if they improved the process. His primary occupation was in electronics with the U.S.A.F. He served 20 years in the Air Force. Ralph always made the effort to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Ralph was a Tech Sgt. in the Air Force. He understood his duty to serve his country and the importance of getting a job done. He was comfortable with the routines of the military and even liked them to some degree, especially when it came to grasping the clear instructions and guidelines he was expected to follow. He was based at the Lowrey Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado from 1958-1967; March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California from 1967-1968; Castle Air Force Base in Atwater, California from 1968-1969; Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas from 1969-1970; Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington from 1970-1977; and Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska. Ralph saw action during the Vietnam War in 1969. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Tech Sgt. He received several awards including the Air Force Commendation Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster).

Ralph’s curious and inquisitive nature influenced his choice of leisure pursuits as well. He applied his strong concentration and analytical skills as to how things worked to his choice of activities. He particularly enjoyed the “alone” time his hobbies provided. His favorite pursuits were hunting, fishing, woodworking and video games. Ralph was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Ralph had the ability to stay calm and the determination to do what was necessary to get the job finished, traits that helped him enjoy sports. In high school, Ralph played baseball. Recreational sports included bowling. Ralph was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were baseball and football.

Ralph appreciated the occasions when he was able to travel and get away on a vacation. He enjoyed learning about different locales and was open to exploring new and different places. Favorite vacation spots included British Columbia and North Eastern Washington. He thoroughly enjoyed the task of gathering and analyzing travel information as he prepared for an upcoming trip.

Ralph was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Ralph’s favorites was Bootsie, a cocker spaniel. They were best friends for two years. His family was rounded out by his other dog, Jack, a border collie.

As his retirement approached, Ralph viewed the event as just one more project to research and solve. So, when the day finally arrived in 1981, he was well prepared. His new life involved relocating to Austin, Texas. In retirement, he found new pleasure in playing on the computer.

Ralph passed away on Saturday, August 20, 2011 at St. David's South Austin Hospital at the age of 74. Ralph fought a brave battle against cancer. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Janet M. Hall; his children, Walter and Renee; uncle Robert Wirtz and wife, Elizabeth.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Fuenral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, August 25, 2011 in the Chapel of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home with Dr. Douglas Keenan officiating. Ralph will be laid to rest at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park.

Ralph strongly believed that talk is cheap. He was the type of person who would show others his feelings through his actions. He was practical and realistic but was able to be flexible when the need arose. He had a curiosity about the things around him and tried to experience life directly rather than sit back and talk about it. The experiences he treasured most were those he shared with his loved ones. Ralph W. Hall will be greatly missed.