Ralph H. Erb (1983)

ERB

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 12/16/2008 at 13:43:13

Earlham Library Collection
Earlham Echo

Obituary of Ralph H. Erb

Ralph H. Erb, a former Earlham business man died at Corpus Christi, Texas, Thursday, February 10. He was born March 11, 1903 and would have been 80 years old next month. He had been in failing health with cancer for the past few months. Erb had willed his body to the medical college of the University of Texas.

Memorial services were held at the South Broadway Presbyterian Church on Saturday, February 12.

Among his survivors are his wife, Mary, a son, Dean and a daughter, Margaret.

When Erb came to Earlham in 1935 he was in the grocery business, later converting his building into a meat processing and locker plant. He sold his business in the sixties and for a time served as secretary of the chambers of commerce at Eldora and later at Maquoketa. He also worked for a while for the AAA Motor Club of Iowa at Davenport before moving to Texas.

While in Earlham he was a member of the Presbyterian Church, was active in the Masonic Lodge serving as a district lecturer for a number of years, was a charter member of the Earlham Lions Club, was active in Boy Scout work and helped in promoting numerous community projects.