RALPH EICKHOF

RALPH OTTO EICKHOF Ralph Otto Eickhof, a resident of Seattle, Wash., passed away on December 16, 2024, at the age of 73. Ralph was born on March 26, 1951, at Saint Francis Hospital in Crookston to Ralph Chris and Betty Eickhof. He attended McKinley Elementary School and Central High School in Crookston, graduated high school from Shattuck Military Academy in Faribault, received his B.A. in Political Science from University of Denver in Colorado, and attended Gonzaga School of Law in Spokane, Wash. Ralph had a diverse and fulfilling career in multiple fields, including construction, trucking, environmental engineering, and, most notably, computer database design - his greatest passion. Before retiring in 2020, he spent 18 years as a senior software development engineer at Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center in Seattle designing and troubleshooting a cancer tracking database. An entrepreneur at heart, Ralph founded the California Division of Compuclean International, a pioneering company specializing in cleaning large data centers. His innovative spirit extended to creative endeavors as well, serving as the creator and director of the stop-motion film "Deep Donut," which he produced with his best friend "Tuna" (Tom Nimens). In his personal life, Ralph chronicled the Eickhof family history in numerous creative videos, enjoyed travel, reading, and was a self-proclaimed techno and movie geek. Ralph was predeceased by his father, Ralph Eickhof, his mother, Betty Eickhof, and his sister, Ann Eickhof, and his beloved German Shepherd Otto. He is survived by his sisters Joan Eickhof Batts (Houston, Texas), Catherine Eickhof (Redmond, Wash.), and Martha Monfried (St. Petersburg, Fla.), his brother Scott Eickhof (San Ramon, Calif.), his nephews Jonathan Smith (Austin, Texas) and Gabriel Monfried (West Palm Beach, Fla.), and his nieces Anne Marie Smith (Austin, Texas), Ashley Eickhof (Washington, D.C.), Corinne Eickhof (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.), and Jennie Carolan (Newport Beach, Calif.), as well as many extended family members and friends who remember him fondly. A celebration of Ralph's life will be held in the summer of 2025 in northern Minnesota. Donations may be made in Ralph's honor to Seattle Humane Animal Shelter, 13212 SE Eastgate Way, Bellevue, WA 98005. For more information, call 425-641-0080 or visit SeattleHumane.org.