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Ralph M. Wilde (Feb 18, 1929 – Jan 15, 2018)

Ralph M. Wilde passed away quietly on January 15, 2018, after a short struggle with cancer.

Ralph was born on February 18, 1929, in Kemmerer, Wyoming, to Adelbert Earl and Sarah Lois Wilde. Ralph grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he participated in the original Army JROTC program while attending Cheyenne High School. In Cheyenne, he worked as a mechanic for the airlines at the Cheyenne Airport and as a jazz radio disc jockey. He met Joyce in Cheyenne and they were married in August of 1954.

Ralph earned a degree in chemistry and metallurgy from Brigham Young University in 1955. He was heavily involved in the Uranium mining and milling boom in the desert southwest. In 1955 he took his first job in the industry in Grand Junction, Colorado, working for the American Lead Corporation. He was then recruited to open a new milling operation for Rare Metals Corporation in Tuba City, Arizona. In 1956, he and his family moved to Grants, New Mexico, where he worked for Anaconda Corporation. While there, he was instrumental in developing and implementing many health, safety, and environmental safeguards for the industry. He served on many local, state, and national advisory boards within the uranium industry. In his spare time he was an avid golfer and an accomplished bridge player.

In 1973, he and his family moved to Maryland, where he worked for the Atomic Energy Commission, the Energy Research and Development Administration, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Moving from the desert southwest to the east coast afforded him the opportunity to explore other recreational opportunities. He became a competitive sailor and berthed a 32 foot sail boat on the Cheasepeake Bay.

When Ralph retired in 1992, he and Joyce moved to Glenwood Springs. They were members of “The 100 Club”. He enjoyed golfing and was a ranger at Glenwood Springs Golf Course. He and Joyce moved to Battlement Mesa for a few years but recently returned to Glenwood Springs. Ralph spent the last few years of his life providing loving care to Joyce as she slipped into Alzheimer’s.

Ralph was a devoted husband and loving father. He was a supportive and loyal friend. He will be remembered well, and he will be missed.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Sheldon, and sister Delta Rathbone. He is survived by Joyce, his wife of 64 years; his sons James (Deborah Newman) of San Antonio, Texas; Michael (Debbie) of Glenwood Springs; Steven (Nansie) of Gaithersburg, Maryland; six grandchildren (Taylor, Carson, Kinsley, Coale, Matt, and Russ); two great-grandchildren; his sister Ruth Greaves of Salem, Oregon, and numerous nieces and nephews.

At Ralph’s request, no memorial service will be held. Memorial contributions may be made to Epic Experience – outdoor experiences for individuals with cancer http://www.epicexperience.org; The Chesapeake Bay Foundation http://www.cbf.org; or HomeCare and Hospice of the Valley http://www.hchotv.org.


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