Ralph Campbell Wilson

Ralph Campbell Wilson was born on August 8, 1921 at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska to Otto and Mabel (Campbell) Wilson. As a young boy, Ralph enjoyed playing with his dog, Jack and raising chickens. Ralph enjoyed Boy Scouts and was a Boy Scout leader. He lived all but 7 years of his life in Waterloo. He attended grade school and graduated from Waterloo High School in 1939. He served his country in the United States Army. Ralph was also part of a motorcycle courier group called the Camp Carson “Rough Riders”. Ralph worked in Hanford, Washington after his honorable discharge from the Army in 1943; on a project that he later found involved the Atomic Bomb. Ralph married Pauline Graves on August 21, 1945 in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Ralph knew as soon as he saw Pauline she was the one he was going to marry. They have been married 67 years. Ralph and Pauline lived in Charlestown for three years before returning to Waterloo in October of 1948 where they have lived ever since. They were blessed with three daughters: Sharon, Linda and Julie. Ralph worked at Rob-See-Co, at a gas station, a munitions plant in Charlestown, as a Fire Inspector and with his father in a their Heating and Plumbing business before beginning a 26 year career with Douglas County Hospital as their chief of engineers, retiring in 1991. He enjoyed writing history and driving around the town he loved. He always had a project going at home whether yard work, remodeling or fixing up a van that they later took the grand kids on trips in. At the age of 89 he still got on the roof to put up his Christmas decorations. Ralph was an honest, determined, out-spoken, colorful man who loved to tell stories. He was active in many civic activities and was proud of his work to stop the dam project that would have flooded much of the area. He later was instrumental in getting the dike around Waterloo. Ralph’s passion was researching and writing Waterloo History and he was known as “Waterloo’s Historian”. He followed Husker football and enjoyed barbeque wings, hot beef sandwiches and a diet Pepsi. Ralph passed away on Monday, January 7, 2013 at the Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of 91 years, 4 months and 30 days. He was preceded in death by his parents Otto and Mabel and sister, Donnis Schneider. Ralph is survived by his wife Pauline; daughters and sons-in-laws: Sharon and Bill Steere, Linda and Nick Oyster and Julie and Dana Jorgensen all of Waterloo; 7 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Sharon & Bill's daughter---Sheri L. Steere; Linda and Nick's kids: Two sons and a daughter: Thom and Taryn and they have a little boy, Ethan. Jeff and Mandi have a daughter, Jami and son, Jesse, Mindy and Jeremy have a daughter, Emma Julie and Dana have two sons and a daughter: Käj, Dane and Hanna. Wilson, Ralph C. age 91 of Waterloo, NE Survived by wife Pauline; daughters and sons-in-law Sharon and Bill Steere, Linda and Nick Oyster and Julie and Dana Jorgensen all of Waterloo; 7 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren; visitation Thursday noon to 8 PM with family receiving friends from 6 to 8; Funeral Friday 10:30 AM all at the Funeral Home. Interment Prospect Hill Cemetery; Memorials to Waterloo Methodist Church or the Waterloo Library. Condolences to www.reichmuthfuneralhomes.com Reichmuth Funeral Home 21901 W. Maple Rd. 402-289-2222

Ralph Campbell Wilson

August 8, 1921 - January 7, 2013