Dora Ralph

Dora Fern Ralph, age 92 of Charles City, Iowa formerly of Nashua, died Friday, July 3, 2009, in Charles City. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 7, 2009, at the United Methodist Church in Nashua with private family burial held at a later date with Arnie Boge, Michael Schwickerath, Bill Cleveland, James Reysack, Daniel Hugh, Phil Harris and Jeff King as pallbearers. Friends may call 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Monday, July 6, 2009, at the Hugeback & Chenoweth Funeral Home in Nashua. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. Dora Fern Ralph was born October 26, 1916, in West Frankfort, IL, the daughter of John and Sula (Hicks) Parker. She received her education in Thompsonville, IL, and graduated from the Senn High School in Chicago. On January 16, 1933, she married Jesse Flowers. To this union three children were born. Mr. Flowers died in 1963 and on May 16, 1964, she married Jesse W. Ralph, who died in 1972. Mrs. Ralph had done childcare, was employed at the National Press Printing company in North Chicago and worked 28 years as a sales associate for the Globe Department Store chain in Illinois. Memberships include the Golden Antlers of the Moose Club, the VFW Auxiliary, the Democratic Party and the United Methodist Church in Nashua. She enjoyed traveling, reading, cooking, gardening and playing cards. Dora will be remembered by her family as a devoted mother and grandmother who had a deep and abiding faith in God. Survivors include two daughters, Nancy Meeker and Judith O’Brien, both of Charles City; two granddaughters, Robin Majewski of Charles City and Rachelle (Lucius) Lacy of Billings, MT; eight great-grandchildren; a step-son, Kenneth Ralph of UT; a step-daughter, Joan Storlie of Deer Park, MN. She was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; a son, James Howard Flowers; a brother, Edward M. Parker; and two granddaughters, Debra Benevides and Donna Rivera.