Dambaugh

On the morning of Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, the sun rose for the first time on a world without Ralph Merle Dambaugh. His 88 years of life, which began in his Connoquenessing Township home on Feb. 6, 1935, were completed under the brief care of Good Samaritan Hospice at Heritage Valley Medical Center in Beaver.

Ralph’s 58 years of married life with his beloved wife, Rose, were spent in Zelienople, where he resided for an additional decade after Rose’s passing in December 2013. Illness recently had necessitated a stay at Franciscan Manor in Beaver Falls, to which his family is grateful, but he loved and missed his Zelienople home.

Ralph grew up on a farm in Connoquenessing Township, receiving his education at Little Creek School and Evans City High School. He loved his country and served proudly for two years when drafted into the U.S. Army. Ralph’s employment included Jones and Laughlin Steel in Aliquippa, Concrete Accessories, Halstead Industries for 33 years and C.T. McCormick Hardware in Zelienople.

He was a humble man who excelled at fixing things. Ralph was a good neighbor who valued the many friends he made over the years from school, church, jobs and the community. He was a practical, loyal man who treasured simple pleasures, such as country music, playing guitar, songwriting, greeting passersby from his porch, hunting, fishing, camping with his father in his younger days, old cars and growing a vegetable garden. You might have seen him in Zelienople Fourth of July parades, driving their red 1959 Chevy Impala or two-tone aqua Studebaker. He lived by the principles that you help if you see a need and you make up your mind to get up every day and do what needs to be done. Ralph did these things every day — and those days added up to 88 precious years for those who loved him.

A member of Mt. Nebo Presbyterian Church in Prospect, Ralph was predeceased by his wife, Rose; two infant sons, Ryan and Reed; his parents, Clifford Clayton and Florence Emmeline Frishkorn Dambaugh; his brothers, Richard and Raymond; two sisters, Fay (Gerald) Bieber and Leona (Douglas) Marburger; and an infant sister, Lois Ann.

Left behind to cherish Ralph’s memory are his daughter and son-in-law, Rosalind and Charles Stack; granddaughter, Elizabeth (Dante) DeNome; grandson, Jordan Stack; his sister, Pauline Winchell; as well as many beloved nieces, nephews and friends.

His family thanks all who visited, wrote, called and cared for Ralph throughout his life, especially in recent months. He so loved and appreciated all of you.

DAMBAUGH — Ralph’s family has now entrusted his care to BOYLAN FUNERAL HOME, 324 E. Grandview Ave., Zelienople, where visitors may gather to remember him from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Monday and from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, after which Pastor Jason Sinagra will officiate a funeral service at the funeral home.

Ralph will then be laid to rest with military honors beside Rose in the Zelienople Community Mausoleum.

For those desiring to honor Ralph’s memory with non-floral tributes, Mt. Nebo Presbyterian Church in Prospect or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation would be grateful.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.boylanfuneralservices.com.

Please sign the guest book at www.butlereagle.com.