RALPH EHRHARDT

Ralph Ehrhardt, 78, devoted son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather died Thursday, November 20, 2008 six weeks after being diagnosed with cancer at the Paula Baber Hospice Home in Fort Dodge.

Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Gunderson Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in North Lawn Cemetery with full military honors by the VFW Post #1856. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Fort Dodge.

Ralph was born on June 27, 1930 in Hardy, IA to Joe and Doris Ehrhardt. He is survived by his brother Dick Ehrhardt, sisters Beulah Taylor, Mary Vaudt, Irene Hilbert, Monica Elsen, Celeste Jamison, and Annette Crouse; son Steve Ehrhardt (Marie) East Moline, IL; granddaughters Amber, Alisha, and Audrey Ehrhardt, grandson Steven Ehrhardt; son Dan Ehrhardt (Beth) Layton, UT, grandson Brent Ehrhardt Rochester, MN, granddaughter Emily Ehrhardt Moore, OK; grandson Corbin Ehrhardt, Layton, UT, grandson Matt Leimbach Madrid, NM; daughter Tammy Casotti Fort Dodge, granddaughter Amber Litwiller (David) Marshalltown, IA, great-granddaughter Joceyln Litwiller; granddaughter Morgan Felker (Jeremy) Clinton, UT.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, and sisters Carolyn Weber, Wanda Mosley, Barbara Hellickson, brother Paul Ehrhardt, his wife Margaret Joann Ehrhardt, son Mark Ehrhardt and son-in-law Alan Casotti.

Ralph graduated in 1948 from Vernon Consolidated High School, and then entered into the U.S. Army from 1952-1954. He married Joann on December 17, 1955 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA. He was employed at Tobin's/Hormel from 1948 until his retirement in 1982. He then worked for Wermac until 1992.