Ralph Crandall

Ralph Crandall, 89, slipped peacefully from this world on August 27. Ralph was a man of presence-you knew he was in a room by his physical stature, his movie star good looks, his style, his affable personality, and his entertaining magic tricks and quips. Ralph never knew a stranger.

He was born to Nellie Margaret Hicks and Harold Eber Crandall in Fairview, West Virginia during the Great Depression. Ralph was the third of four boys. The family moved to Baltimore for a short time and then settled in War, WV. Ralph's father, Harold, died suddenly at the age of 41 leaving Nellie to raise four rambunctious boys on a very meager income in the tiny, rugged coal mining town. Ralph excelled at athletics and became a star athlete at Big Creek High School where he met his future wife and love of his life, Donna Sue Horton. Ralph was awarded an athletic scholarship to Concord College to play football, basketball, and run track. There he set and held the WV state record in pole vaulting for many years. Ralph and Donna eloped on Halloween night in 1958, the only weekend Ralph did not have a football game, and they moved to Bluefield, WV. Ralph taught school and coached football and basketball. He was so proud of the teams he coached and was still in touch with some of those athletes until the end of his life. Ralph earned a master's degree at West Virginia University. Ralph and Donna's only child, Karen, was born in 1963. They moved from Bluefield to Atlanta in 1970 where Ralph made more lifelong friends, mostly on the golf course. Keeping things exciting, when he wasn't on the golf course, he was competing in enduro motorcycle races. At 40, Ralph changed careers, moving into professional fundraising. He was a collector of Corvettes, golf clubs, scorecards, holes-in-one (he had six!), and knowledge. His family was his everything. Donna and he were married 66 years and currently live in St. Augustine, Florida. Their daughter Karen's family became his absolute joy. Ralph's stories, kindness, and humor will be dearly missed by all.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Nellie (Hicks) Crandall and Harold Crandall, his stepfather Vaughn Keel, and his brothers Melvin, Lonnie and Glenn; their families are with us. His memory lives on in his loving wife and best friend, Donna (Horton) Crandall, his daughter Karen and her husband Soren West, his granddaughter Hannah Weberg (Sebastian) and grandson Bergen West (Sunny) and four great grandchildren, all of whom he was incredibly proud.

A memorial service honoring Ralph will be held on Saturday, September 6 at 11:00am in the chapel at Westminster St. Augustine Retirement Community, 235 Towerview Drive, St. Augustine FL 32092. There will be a luncheon in the adjacent Crichton Hall following the service.