Ralph Nation

Ralph Harlan Nation was born January 28, 1926 at Mound City, Kansas the son of Delbert Otis Nation and Bertha Jane Coffeen Nation. He died at his home on Sunday July 5, 2009 following a lengthy battle with cancer. Ralph attended grade school in Linnville and graduated from Mound City High School in 1944. He entered the Air Force and served in World War II from June of 1944 until April of 1946. He married his high school sweetheart, Ruby Neal on November 17, 1944. To this union three children were born: Jacqueline Lee, Gary Harlan and Ronald Joe. They moved to Colorado in 1946. He attended Denver University. He worked for Gates Rubber Company then the United States Postal Service. He transferred to the Shawnee Mission, Kansas Post Office in 1961 and retired in 1981 after approximately thirty years of service. Ralph and Ruby moved to Mound City in 1981 and built a new home on their farm on Highway 7. In 1997, they sold the farm and moved to their home Mound City. They travelled extensively, spending fifteen winters in the Rio Grande Valley and a month or so each summer in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Ralph was a member of the American Legion and the NHPA(National Horseshoe Pitchers Association). He enjoyed working on genealogy and spending time with his family. His saying was "If you have family, you have it all". He was preceded in death by his daughter Jacqueline Rupe in 1972, his parents, and three brothers: Olen, Leslie and Clarence Nation. He is survived by his wife Ruby of the home, two sons, Gary Nation and wife Cindy of Greeley, Colorado, Ron Nation and wife Doris of Mound City, five grandchildren: Kristi Stone and husband Ken of Loveland, Colorado, Sarah Sutterby and husband Caleb of Mound City, Tiffany Troxell and husband Craig of Loveland, Colorado, Ashlee Nation of Mound City and Jordan Nation of Fort Collins, Colorado, three great grandchildren, Noah Ray and Riley Jean Stone of Loveland, Colorado and Calleigh Jo Sutterby of Mound City, two sister in laws, Dorothy Nation of Pleasanton, Kansas and Kathy Nation of Fort Scott, Kansas, one brother in law and wife Junior and Wilma Neal and a host of nieces nephews, other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held at 10 AM Wednesday July 8, 2009 at the First Baptist Church, Mound City, Kansas. Burial will be in the Linnville Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 PM Tuesday at the Coffel-Schneider Funeral Home in Mound City, Kansas. The family suggests contributions to Hospice Compassus of Pittsburg, Kansas or the Linnville School Fund. A note for the family can be left at www.coffelschneider.com. Arrangements: Coffel-Schneider, Mound City, Kansas.