Ralph Hamilton Gee

Ralph Gee died last night…surrounded and held by his family. These are final sending words for a good man. But who reads obituaries? Those who knew the man and yearn for some closure, sweet melancholy reminiscence, succor, even some reassurance; and those who never met the man. For those of you who knew Ralph, you knew him to be a man of honest generosity, a man of old fashioned honor, a fun man with a potentially devious sense of humor, a man who loved a good argument, and a man who did right by those he loved – always. Although not a tall man, we all looked up to him. He wasn't a saint or superhero. He was just a truly good and humble man. A man who was a real life hero to his loved ones – the kind of man you want to be like when you are in your best mind. He will be deeply and dearly missed. But, you already know that. Peace, and a toast to you Ralph!

For those of you checking to see if you are listed today, rejoice that you are not and you have time left to fully live. For those of you who have a loved one listed today as well, we wish peace to you and our solemn condolences. For those of you who read obituaries out of respect and curiosity, let us tell you a bit about Ralph so you might wish him well on his journey. Ralph grew up fatherless in Appleton – an only son with four sisters. His father died from acute appendicitis the year before sulfa drugs were discovered. His mother worked for the Appleton newspaper. After high school he joined the Marines and was a company clerk on the island of Okinawa. Ralph married Carol Busch in 1959. Ralph loved Carol Ann Busch with all his heart, and raised three children with her – Kathy, Nancy, and David. He worked his adult life selling chemicals to paper companies – a job he didn't love, but he respected work, so he did it well. At the end of his life, after Carol passed, Ralph met and married Rita, whom he enjoyed his final months with, and who lovingly stayed by his side till the end.

In the the end we are our stories. Everyone has them. We use them to define ourselves, and others define us by them. One that particularly represents Ralph, though he wouldn't admit it, comes from the cottage days at Moshawquit Lake. Ralph rented a cottage that came with a small skiff. A terrible storm blew up one afternoon, and someone capsized a sailboat in the middle of the lake. There were many cottages on the lake with boats that a family of 12 could live on for a week, but Ralph was the only one who braved the storm to help the intrepid sailors. From that day forth he was teased by the family because he bumped someone's boat in the process. He never protested. Only much later, but not too late, did it occur to his children that he was the only one to go out to help. That was the way he was. He was an example for all of us that real heroism is about fiercely caring for your loved ones every day, making sacrifices, and doing the right thing even when no one is looking.

Ralph is survived by his wife Rita, his children, Kathleen Gee-Bennett (Steve), David (Lori) and his grandchildren Alexander and Zachary, his son-in-law Steve Nordgaard, and Rita's children Steve DeLain (Connee), Brian DeLain (Anne) and Lisa McHugh (Dan) and her grandchildren Michael, Elizabeth, Brianne, Molly, Hannah, and Dillon. He is further survived by his sister Jane Milhaupt, and brother-in-law Gene Costello.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Carol, his daughter Nancy, and his sisters Mary, Barbara, and Connie.

In lieu of flowers, do something special with your families. In addition, the family requests that memorial gifts in Ralph Gee's name be sent to either the:Martha Siekman Cancer Center (1818 North Meade Street, Appleton, WI 54911)or to the American Cancer Society.

Visitation will be on Wednesday April 22nd at St. Thomas More Parish (1810 N McDonald St., Appleton, WI 54911) from 9am -11:30am. Immediately following the visitation, a funeral mass will be held at 11:30am concelebrated by Fr. Gerald Falk and Fr. Thomas Farrell.

Wichmann Funeral Home
537 N. Superior Street
Appleton, WI 54911
920 739 1231