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1946 - 2017

BORN

1946

DIED

2017

RALPH MATKIN Obituary

MATKIN RALPH ERLE MATKIN August 22, 1946 - July 24, 2017 Dr. Ralph Erle Matkin died of cancer on July 24, 2017 at home in Southern California. He was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri and kept in close contact with his life-long Pem-Day school friends. He graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University in 1969. From 1969-1971, Ralph served as a U.S. Army medic. In Vietnam, Ralph joined the 101st "Screaming Eagles" Airborne Division. He saved many lives due to his selflessness and courage, for which he was awarded the Combat Medic Badge,2 Silver Stars, a Bronze Star w/Combat V, 2 Purple Hearts, an Air Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation, and a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He was Honorably Discharged as a Specialist 5 and served as a reservist in the California State Guard from 1988-1998, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Ralph earned a Master's Degree in Education in Psychiatric Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his Doctorate in Rehabilitation Services from Southern Illinois University, where he also served as an adjunct professor. From 1987-2009, Ralph was a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology in the College of Education at California State University in Long Beach, CA. He was also Director of career and rehabilitation counseling programs at CSULB from 1992-2004 and an emeritus professor since 2009. Ralph's academic career included many honors, such as the Mary E. Switzer Research Fellow; national finalist of The President's Commission on White House Fellowships; and several national research awards from the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association, Rehabilitation Administration Association and American Counseling Association. A published author of over 60 articles, book chapters, and textbooks, Ralph also reviewed manuscripts for several professional journals for almost 20 years. He is survived by his brother, Bob. Interment in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

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Published by The Washington Post on Jul. 28, 2017.

Memories and Condolences
for RALPH MATKIN

18 Entries

Gail Hollister

July 21, 2022

Ralph was a wonderful friend and I still miss him. I often think of how thoughtful and kind he was. May he Rest in Peace.

Gail Hollister

July 21, 2021

I think of Ralph often and miss his Emails and occasional conversations/visits. He was an exceptional person and friend.

Michael Mooney

July 30, 2020

The International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP) —Illinois State Chapter Board has chosen Ralph Erle Matkin to posthumously receive the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award. It will be presented at the virtual State conference September 17, 2020. His selection honors the best ideals and high standards of the professional organization.

Ralph was a 1981 Ethics Workshop Facilitator and research presenter at the First National Conference of IARP, then called the National Association of Rehabilitation Professionals in Private Sector (NARPPS), held in Dallas, Texas. His many written contributions continue to influence the field and are frequently cited in current literature. Work he produced helped define the roles and functions of the emerging profession of the ‘rehabilitation counselor’.

I met Ralph while we were students at the Rehabilitation Institute of Southern Illinois University and marveled at his contributions to the field through the years which followed. I never knew of his heroic military service until reading his obituary and writings of Ralph "Doc" Matkin- Reflections on 1st Battle at FSB Granite 20 March 1970.
He was an American hero.

Gail

July 22, 2020

I cannot believe it has been three years since I lost my friend Ralph who I originally knew in grammar school. He was such a wonderful, bright thoughtful guy and the world lost a great patriot.

August 4, 2019

I am so very sorry to hear about Dr. Matkin's passing. I was his student at California State University in 1996. He was a great teacher! I will surely miss him!

Justine Ashokar, Ph.D.
Rapid City, South Dakota

Gail Hollister

July 21, 2019

I still miss Ralph so much. What a wonderful friend he was!
RIP

Gail Hollister

Ewa Starmach, PhD

December 8, 2018

It was so sad for me to find out that Ralph passed away.. I've had images of Ralph flash within my mind for the past few months.. so I tried to look him up to write to him, as it's been so long since we last saw one another (1980s) .

The last time Ralph and I saw each other was in the mid 80s.. my husband and I invited Ralph to Join us for a ski trip to Bend Oregon.. then Utah.. Ralph actually taught me how to ski on that trip at the age 33.. You see, Ralph and I worked together in my Vocational Rehab Company for a few years (between 1976 -1979 in Orange, So Cal.

Ralph was a hero Medic... Never boasting about his life saving heroism.. but I knew he must have saved a lot of people.. he suffered from all that he's seen; he was a good, kind, and very caring man!!

Ralph was an educated individual, and he was supportive of my pursuit of MS and PhD degrees.. Always admired his devotion to publishing and teaching.. he must have been a great professor...

My intuition never fails me, it seems, as there was a reason why Ralph's Spirit was trying to contact me through my thoughts.. but I am so sad to know I'm too late in contacting him.. as Ralph is gone to another dimension!!

My condolences to his family!! I miss Ralph, knowing he is no longer with us, and we cannot ever again reminisce together!! :(

Kathy Dickoff

January 3, 2018

Jan. 3, 2018
This message is for Bob. I am sure you know what a hero your brother was. He also was responsible for saving my husband's life on March 20, 1970, FSBGranite. Thanks to Ralph's amazing abilities, my husband Dave Dickoff returned home to Portland Oregon, recovered from his external injuries, married me, raised a family and has had a successful career. Had Ralph not attended to Dave's injuries in the amazing way he did, Dave would not have survived that day. Dave found Ralphs account of that day on Bill Higgins blog about FSBG just this week. Dave did not know the name of the medic who saved him until this week. Ralph's account of what happened to Dave was spot on to what Dave remembers (well some of what Ralph said filled in some of Daves account-- morphine tends to adjust your recall). The story really helped Dave to understand how significant Ralphs assistance had in his survival. I looked up your brother's address and found that he had passed. Very sad that we could not say Thank You to him. He deserved the successful life that he had. Our love to you and your family. Thank You. Kathy Dickoff.

January 2, 2018

Jan. 2, 2018

I sent Ralph a Christmas card, when it was returned without a forwarding address, I thought he might have moved. When checking for a new address, I found his obit. I knew him for about 15 years. He was a good person. I, too, served in Vietnam, we exchanged many stories. Arlon B. Gage, Colonel (retired), California State Military Reserve

CSULB 2001 - My Favorite Professor

Stephanie Pettey

October 24, 2017

I just found out about Ralph's passing... my heart is beyond sad. Ralph was my professor at CSULB in 1999 and we immediately became friends. Through the years he mentored me through my Master's Thesis and Doctoral Project. Ralph gave without expecting anything in return... because that's how he was. We tried to spend time together catching up at least a few times a year... but the past 5 years it was only every couple years. The last time I saw Ralph was in April 2015... we had a great time as usual... he always had the best stories... and I loved listening to him tell his stories (sometimes for hours and hours!). I emailed him about 6 or so months ago and did not get a response... that was not like Ralph... I was so busy at the time I didn't persist. I really regret that I didn't get one last chance to see my dear friend and talk to him. Ralph will be in my heart forever.

Allen Speck

September 25, 2017

I, along with so many others, will miss our brave and caring friend. May he rest in peace.

Howard Claussen

August 26, 2017

We talked when John Crockett passed away a few years ago. God bless him. We had been good friends in Boy Scouts so many years ago.

Julie Laudon Twilley

August 22, 2017

I am so sorry to hear of Ralph's death. He was a childhood friend that re-connected with many of us through high school reunions. My first teaching job was with his Dad in KC. Our mothers were life long friends and played bridge together. May God bless him now and embrace him in heaven!

August 22, 2017

Ralph thank God we got together and played golf and went to dinner and drank Johnny blue.

Your child hood friend,

Fred Loeb

Gail Hollister

August 5, 2017

Ralph and I went to grade school together and I didn't see him again until about ten years ago. He was an amazingly kind, intelligent person and my husband and I loved him. We had no idea of his commendations in Vietnam but it was so like Ralph never to mention them. We will miss him very much.

Leslie Hobrock

August 3, 2017

It was an honor to be Ralph's care give. I enjoyed getting to know Ralph and listening to the many stories that he shared. Especially his 101st Screaming Eagles Airborne Division stories. He spoke fondly of his childhood and his brother Bob. Along with many others, I will miss him.

Tom Rumore

August 3, 2017

Ralph was a an outstanding soldier and friend serving together in Vietnam. I will miss him.
Rest in Peace!