Ralph Stevens

Ralph Bertram Stevens passed away on Friday, November 9, 2007. He was born in Warren, Minnesota on November 24, 1905 to Charles Stevens and Alice Wallace Stevens. He graduated from Hamline University, where he won a football letter and sang in the men's glee club and "The Troubadours", a quartet that toured Minnesota towns to promote Hamline. Music was a lifelong passion for Ralph and he could play anything "by ear" on the piano. He was known for his marvelous voice and sang in barbershop quartets, church and other choirs, as well as the Zurah Chanters. He spent his professional career in journalism, which was a natural choice, having grown up working in his father's weekly newspaper print shop. He began as telegraph editor of the Mason City, Iowa's Globe Gazette for several years and transferred to become copy editor at the Minneapolis Journal and later, news editor of the Minneapolis Tribune. In 1945, Ralph became editor and subsequently publisher of Dental Survey Magazine, until his retirement in 1971. Married in 1935, to Ruth Arlene Barclay, of Mason City, Iowa and had five daughters, twenty-one grandchildren and twenty-four great grandchildren. Ralph was a member of the Masons, Scottish-Rite Temple, Zurah Shriners, Sons of American Revolution, Pi Delta Epsilon and Golden Valley Golf Club. Ralph and Ruth moved to Sun City, Arizona, in 1972, where they enjoyed retirement with golf, bowling, bridge and singing groups. In 2002, Ralph returned to Minneapolis and became a resident of Walker Methodist Care Center, until his peaceful death, 2 weeks before his 102nd birthday. Staff and residents called him "The Singer", when, in spite of going blind and becoming bound to a wheelchair, he continued to enjoy singing. Ralph was preceded by his parents; siblings: Jean, Margaret, and Charles; wife, Ruth; daughters, Carol and Mimi. He is survived by his daughters: Judy Diffley, Jane, Nancy, many nieces and nephews, grand and great grandchildren. Memorial Service will be held at Walker Methodist Chapel, 34th and Bryant Avenue S, Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sunday, November 25, 2007 at 2:00 P.M. Arrangements entrusted to Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel, 952-920-3996.

Tributes

Ralph Stevens

November 17, 2007

Tributes

Ralph Stevens

November 17, 2007

We are here for you 24x7

Call us and get help now

(612) 377-2203