Ralph R. EDDY

1928 - 2022

Eddy - Ralph R.
Ralph Rothwell Eddy, age 94 and ½ passed away at his home in Savannah surrounded by his family on Monday, Nov. 7. Ralph was born in Washburn, WI on April 15, 1928 to Ralph Bosley Eddy and his wife Lilly Rebecca Rothwell. He is predeceased by his beloved wife Patricia Anne Cloutier Eddy and his two sisters, Janet Sybil Rosenthal, and Louanne Marjorie Eddy. He is survived by his eldest daughter Claire McGuffey, son-in-law Don McGuffey and granddaughter Brooke McGuffey, JD and her husband Stephan Baldwin, all of Atlanta, GA, his son Dr. Ralph Rothwell Eddy Jr., daughter-in-law Jane Patterson Eddy, of Asheboro, NC, grandson Michael Eddy, PhD, Michael's wife Bianca Eddy, JD, and great-grand-daughter Olivia Katherine Eddy, of Indianapolis, IN and his youngest Mary "Pru" Prudence Eddy and her husband and son-in-law Bruce Chong of Savannah, GA. He grew up and attended public schools in Nutley, NJ, but spent his summers as a lifeguard in Lavallette, NJ, recording 23 saves on the beach. In his junior year in high school, during WWII, he joined the US Navy as an Air Combat Aircrewman. After the war he returned and graduated from Nutley High School and then attended and graduated from Middlebury College in three and a half years. While at Middlebury he met the then Patricia-Anne Cloutier. They married in 1951 and spent 63 years together, much of that in their beloved City of Savannah. Ralph spent his career in the Insurance industry, starting as a group underwriter for the Aetna in Hartford, Connecticut before becoming a group field manager for The Travelers in Springfield, MA, Miami, FL, Buffalo, NY and then Savannah, GA until his retirement. Ralph was a member of the University Club of Hartford, president of the Middlebury College Alumni Chapter of Hartford, the Buffalo Springfield Ski Club and president of the Amherst Symphony Orchestra of Amherst, NY. Ralph always said his favorite cities were Middlebury, VT, Buffalo, and Savannah. Long before he went to college at Middlebury, Ralph spent time with his aunt and uncle in Vermont. When he was in Buffalo he became a lifelong fan of the Buffalo Bills football team and the Buffalo Sabre's hockey team. To this day Ralph is remembered by many in the Buffalo New York area. Following his retirement he was a member of the Navy League. He volunteered and was generous with his time for CASA and the USO of Georgia at the Savannah International Airport. He and his wife Pat loved the ocean and Tybee Island. In 1984 Ralph received a presidential citation for "heroic lifesaving" for putting himself in danger to save the life of a young boy caught in a dangerous undertow on Tybee Island, making one more "save" for the record books. His family will always remember him as a person who "enjoyed a good party, and was so very fortunate to have been invited to many," loved to read, was a font of information because he was interested in everything, enjoyed crossword puzzles and going to Costco. Most of all, he loved to talk with everyone. He was known for his sense of humor, sense of the ridiculous and kind heart.
Ralph's passing leaves a hole in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. The Eddy family would like to thank Dr. Joseph DeHaven and his dedicated staff. The service and interment will be private and at the pleasure of the family. Remembrances, in lieu of flowers, should be made to Greenbriar Children's Center, Savannah GA, https://greenbriarchildrenscenter.org/.
Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Savannah, GA