Loving father, grandfather and great grandfather age 85 died June 23, 2019, from complications of a stroke he had in August, 2013 and broken heart.

Ralph was born December 24, 1933, to Lucille and Ralph E. Oakes of Grinnell, Kansas.  As a small child, he moved to Colorado and grew up in the Westminster, Colorado area.  Ralph was an active member of 4H, and raised blue ribbon rabbits.  He loved to fish and hunt.  He helped the family financially, by cleaning chicken coops, working at the newspaper setting type while his father was away in the army.

Ralph started working at the Bowman Biscuit Company while attending Westminster High School.  While working there, Ralph met the love of his life, Ethelda Mae Dalrymple.  After graduating from Westminster High School, he and Ethelda married September 5, 1953.  They had two daughters; Charlene Ann Oakes Friend and Linda Kay Oakes.  He was interested in photography, and developed many of the couple's wedding pictures and honeymoon pictures.  Ralph was also an avid member of ARRL (American Radio Relay League) for 53 years, talked to people around the world, and had a teletype machine the he used to help deliver messages to Armed Forces families.  He was self-taught carpenter that built several his homes, and was a model tool and die maker, too.

Ralph worked many places.  His final place was at IBM, as a Master Tool and Die Maker.  He retired in 1992 in Round Rock, Texas.  After retirement, he and Ethelda moved to Canyon, Texas, to be close to Ethelda's family.  There, he built his dream home for Ethelda.

In 2015 Ralph and Ethelda moved to Buda, Texas, to live with his daughter, Linda, who became their full time caregiver.  His loving wife, Ethelda, died in December 7, 2016, after 64 years of marriage. Ralph is survived by his two daughters, two grandkids, and three great grand kids. Sister-in-law Majorie Young of Laverene, OK., many nieces and nephews.

The family wishes donations to be made to The American Stroke Foundation, or the Alzheimer's Association, in lieu of flowers.