Clarence Ralston
Clarence Ralston of Emporia died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2007, at Overland Park. He was 82.
Mr. Ralston was cremated.
The Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Friday at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The Rev. Darren Henson will be the celebrant. The prayer service will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at the church after which the family will meet friends until 8 p.m.
Memorial contributions to the Sacred Heart Church Building Fund may be sent in care of the Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, P.O. Box 175, Emporia, KS 66801.
The Memorial Mass for Clarence Ralston of Emporia will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The Rev. Darren Henson will be the celebrant.
The prayer service will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at the church, after which the family will meet friends until 8 p.m. He was cremated.
Mr. Ralston died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2007, at Select Specialty Hospital in Overland Park. He was 82.
He retired from the Santa Fe Railroad in 1985 after 40 years of service. He worked in the chief engineer’s office in Topeka and was eastern division general foreman of bridge and building in Emporia when he retired.
He is a Navy veteran of World War II, serving with the 5th Amphibious Corps stationed in the Pacific Theater, including Tinian, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Japan.
The son of Ernest C. and Elsa Koch Ralston, he was born Nov. 17, 1924, in Albuquerque, N.M.
He married Rosemary Potts on July 24, 1949, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Utica, Mo. She survives. He, his wife and family lived in Turner, Kan.; Keokuk, Iowa; Olathe, Chicago, Marceline, Mo., Topeka, Ottawa, Arkansas City and Emporia since 1965.
Mr. Ralston also is survived by one son, Craig Ralston of Emporia, Kevin Ralston of Olathe, Ryan Ralston of Overland Park, Mark Ralston of Topeka, Aaron Ralston of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Damon Ralston of Kansas City, Mo.; one daughter, Kathy French of Olathe; 20 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Two sisters and two brothers died earlier.
Memorial contributions to the Sacred Heart Church Building Fund may be sent in care of the Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, P.O. Box 175, Emporia, KS 66801.