Ralph Morris Zeigler

He was born on a farm in Emmetsburg, Iowa to Arthur and Etta Zeigler (Cox) on Feb. 20, 1914. He was the ninth of their ten children. Each morning, after milking the cows, he and his brothers and sisters bundled up in boots and bonnets and walked the three miles to their nearest one room, country schoolhouse--(which he attended through the 8th grade.) He always had endearing stories to tell about Miss Nary (who played the piano, robustly, whenever a transition was necessary…)

He later graduated from Emmetsburg High School and spent the following four years saving the family farm. At the age of 21 he began working as a hired hand and apprentice in "the building trades."

In March of 1940 he enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed in Montana and California until the bombing of Pearl Harbor when he was transferred to Liverpool, England. While stationed there he met a British school teacher, Nellie Humphries, and married her. A daughter (Lorelea Anne) was born one year later and on "D" day plus six his unit followed the troops into France and he remained in Cherbourge for the duration of the war in Europe.

For the next four years the family lived in Spirit Lake Iowa where their second daughter (Jennifer) was born. During this time Ralph spent his evenings and weekends building a new home for his growing family. During the day he worked for various local cabinet shops…

But his wife missed England and found the mid-western winters intolerable. So they sold everything they possessed and drove the family Buick to Oregon. (Where they had heard the weather was more similar to Britain's….) Here they joined St. Martin's Episcopal Church (in Lebanon) where Ralph taught Sunday school, was on the vestry and helped out with any needed maintenance.

After retiring from Cascade Plywood Mill, he continued to build furniture for his friends and family and write poetry. He was a member of the Paloose Cowboy Poetry Association and was often asked to read at various national poetry conventions…

After his wife died he married Irma Zeigler (Parkins). And they lived in Moscow, Idaho for many years.

Ralph loved to whistle and sing. And he seemed to know the words to most of the songs written after 1920. He and Irma formed a "kitchen band" that entertained the people in various local nursing homes.

He was a voracious reader of history, read the Bible twice, and escaped into Zane Gray, whenever possible…

Ralph always started the day with a bowl of cornflakes and often ended it with a shot of vodka… (which he called "kick-a-poo" juice…)

He was an honest, hardworking fellow with a sharp wit and a memory like a steel trap. His two daughters, Lorelea Hayden of Eugene and Jennifer Olson of Salem and their children John and Elizabeth Hayden, Amy and Emily Olson and Anne Goedin plus their respective families, will miss him terribly…

Private services will be held Saturday, December 15, at 11am at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Arrangements by Howell Edwards Doerksen with Rigdon Ransom Funeral Directors.