Ralph OLTMAN

OLTMAN, VANDER VEEN, DEWAARD, RAST, SHOEN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:07:00

Ralph Oltman
September 16, 1947 --- December 21, 2019

Ralph Oltman, architect of churches, houses, buildings, and most importantly, friendships, family, and the occasional card game, drew his last breath, and by design, entered into the gates of Heaven on Dec. 21, 2019, at the age of 72.

Ralph came into the world on Sept. 16, 1947, in Waterloo, Iowa, to delighted parents Ben and Hilda (Vander Veen) Oltman. Upon graduation from Dike High School, Ralph became a chartered draftsman while living in Minneapolis. Ralph then worked at Rockwell Collins for a short period of time before being drafted into the Army where he was stationed in New Mexico. Ralph left the Army to attend Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he met his future wife, Judy DeWaard. He then went to Iowa State University where he graduated with an architecture degree and a lifelong love for Iowa State athletics.

Ralph and Judy were married on Aug. 20, 1971 in Kanawha, Iowa. They started their life together in Elmhurst, Ill., where their three children were born. Ralph's job brought the family back to Iowa, spending a few years in Cedar Falls, and then moving to Nevada where Ralph took great pride in designing and building the Oltman family home.

Ralph worked for the State of Iowa and led the refurbishment of the Iowa State Capitol and its iconic gold dome as well as the construction of the State of Iowa Historical Building. After almost 15 years working for the State of Iowa, Ralph transitioned to the private industry working for Guide One Taylor Ball utilizing his construction, architecture, and people skills to help churches throughout the country rebuild after devastating natural disasters. His ability to connect with church leaders and communities facing hardship made him a shining light in the face of devastation. Ralph retired from Guide One to start his own construction business. Ralph also found time to be an active member of Trinity Christian Reformed Church in Ames.

Ralph was the definition of a "people person" and enjoyed everyone he met, and he met many with his inviting personality. In his work he used nails and boards, but he became the glue that bonded the Oltman family, and so many others he came in contact with. He found great pride in the success of his children and loved to cheer them on at volleyball, basketball, track or any athletic event. He was there with encouragement at the starting line, wisdom and determination during the race and a warm hug filled with pride at the finish line. When the time came for grandchildren, he walked them home from school hand in hand, raced them around the yard in delight and rolled on the floor with them in laughter.

Ralph had the amazing opportunities to visit National Parks such as Yellowstone and Glacier, bask in the sun in California, frolic on the beaches in Florida, climb the Eiffel Tower in Paris, watch kangaroos in Australia, lay flowers on his great grandparents' graves in the Netherlands and walk in the footsteps of his dad on the beaches of Normandy.

And now Ralph's most glorious journey of all. He was preceded in death by his father, Ben. He is survived by his beloved wife of 48 years, Judy; their three kids: Terri (Bryson Rast), Brian, Valerie (Troy Shoen); his mother, Hilda; and his four grandchildren (Austin Shoen, Dillon Shoen, Brooklyn Shoen, Alexis Rast). And a large family of brothers and sisters, nieces, and nephews. His love for his family was beyond words.

Ralph was diagnosed with the dreaded disease Corticobasal Degeneration in 2009. While the rare neurodegenerative disease took away his ability to experience as much as he would have desired the past years, the experiences he had and the memories that he gave so many others are countless. They remind us to architect our lives in way that makes the most of every day we are given and pleases God, to the ends of the earth.

A visitation will be held Thursday, Dec. 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. and a funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday Dec. 27; both the visitation and service will be held at Trinity Christian Reformed Church, 3626 Ontario St.

A memorial fund will be established with donations being given to Trinity Christian Reformed Church. Rasmusson-Ryan Funeral Home in Nevada is handling arrangements.

Nevada Journal ---- Nevada, Iowa
December 25, 2019