Ralph Vanhorn

Ralph's Memorial Service can be seen here: https://vimeo.com/735809416

Ralph's tribute video can be viewed here. https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/KWPPTBJBYNWRZFR2

Ralph was born in Ashland Kentucky, to Wallace F and Janie VanHorn. He was 5th of 8 children.

He joined the US Navy in 1951 at the age of seventeen as a boiler technician and served aboard the USS Wisconsin (BB-64) along the coast of Korea. After a four-year tour of duty, he left the Navy and later reenlisted as a Radioman. Ralph's duty stations included Key West Florida, DaNang Vietnam (1965-1966), aboard the USS Lester (DE-1022) NavCommSta Western Australia, and retired from the Navy as a Radioman instructor at the Naval Training Center, San Diego, CA, in 1974.

Ralph married Gail (Callihan) in December 1966 and adopted Gail's Son Paul and Daughter Chuway (Kathy) in early 1967. In 1973 Gail adopted Ralph's son David making the family complete.

After retiring from the Navy, Ralph earned an Associate's degree at Wayne Community College and started work in Martinez, GA, as a Health Inspector for Columbia County and the State of Georgia until 1994.

Ralph and Gail moved to Rapid City, SD, and later to Lees Summit, MO where Gail passed in 2004 after thirty-seven years together. Ralph moved to Fargo, ND, to be near family and remarried Phyllis DeMent in 2007. Phyllis passed in 2017 after being married for 10 years. Afterward Ralph moved back home to Kentucky to be near their remaining family members, and after brother Richard passed in 2020, he moved back to Fargo, where he was cared for by family until his death.

Ralph was preceded in death by his son David in 2019, wife Gail in 2004, wife Phyllis in 2017, and his siblings, Anna, Edward, Elmer, Wallace Jr, Harry, and Richard. He is survived by sister Mary Morgan, son Paul (Shannon) VanHorn, daughter Chuway (James Spragg) VanHorn, daughter-in-law Catie VanHorn, stepchildren Shari Craik, Curtis (Sharon) DeMent, Michelle (Bruce) Donarski, fifteen grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Memorial Service will be at Temple Baptist Church in Fargo at 10:30 am on August 2nd, 2022. Visitation will be held one hour prior.

In lieu of flowers, donations are preferred to St Jude's Children's Hospital or Temple Baptist Church, or your favorite charity.