Ralph Fairbanks Risk

Remembering a Life of Love, Dedication, and Service
Ralph Fairbanks Risk Jr., age 85, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2025 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's disease. Ralph was born on January 13, 1940 as the son of Ralph and Eilene Risk and grew up in the Pasadena area along with his sisters Jackie (Sanders) and Rosie (Marshall). After serving briefly in the United States Army, he attended the University of Houston and went on to have a distinguished career with IBM, where he worked for over 26 years with customers such as NASA and several hospitals at the Houston Medical Center.
Ralph is survived by his sisters Jackie and Rosie. He was a devoted husband to (and survived by) his wife of 63 years, Janie (Lanz) Risk. and a loving father to his three daughters: Kellie (Mike) Stallings, Karin (David) Massicott, and Kassie (Curt) Schmidt. He was a proud grandfather to Ashley, Joshua, Keenan, Morgan, Savanna, and Audrey and great grandfather to Gabriel, Michelangelo, Anastasia, and Cale, who were the light of his life.
A dedicated member of the Catholic Church, Ralph completed deaconate studies at St. Mary's Seminary and served the church faithfully for 45 years, including St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church in Southeast Houston and later at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in The Woodlands for over a decade. He facilitated numerous homilies, weddings, baptisms, spiritual retreats, praise gatherings, nursing home visits, couples' counseling, and funerals and was well-known and beloved by many.
Ralph will be remembered for his kind heart, generosity, servant spirit, faith in God, sense of humor, and the wisdom he shared with all who knew him. His warmth, humor, and contagious enthusiasm will be missed by his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.
A celebration of Ralph's life will be held at 1:30pm on January 3, 2026, at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in The Woodlands. A reception will immediately follow the service at the church's Sheltz Hall until 4:30pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association or to the Montgomery County Food Bank in Ralph's memory.
The Risk family wishes to extend their gratitude to the Bristol Hospice staff, nurse Vickie Barron, Hospice aide Nelda Navarro, and to private caregiver Hallie Merrell for their compassionate care during Ralph's final years.
Ralph's legacy of love, service, and devotion will live on in our hearts forever.